Didn't they volunteer when the situation was explained? The piece I read said 19 passengers volunteered, got £500 payment and booked on next flights. I don't think they were just 'dumped'.
Normally you would go without the baggage if the a/c is overweight. Must have been pax with no hold baggage and it was quicker to get them off than the baggage.
so slowly, slowly, catchy monkey as the saying goes!
another said, deeply and wisely - monkey see: monkey learn
which was really weird ( you will have noticed AB is NOT a normal place) because no one on AB seems to
Moorea7, just for interest, here's the headline from the Times for that story - 'Passengers paid to get off overweight easyJet plane'. A slightly different angle.