Michael Hohl and Amber Maxwell were removed from a United Airlines flight by a US Marshal as they flew to their wedding in Costa Rica

A bride and groom were removed from a United Airlines flight after moving to an empty row to allow another passenger to stay asleep in their seats.

Michael Hohl and his fiancée Amber Maxwell were flying to Costa Rica for their wedding on Saturday afternoon when they were told to disembark at Texas's George Bush Intercontinental Airport.

The couple from Salt Lake City, Utah, say they boarded the plane to find another passenger asleep in their seats.

Rather than wake them up, they went to sit in an empty row which they claim was in the same class.

When a United Airlines flight attendant approached them to ask if they were in their ticketed seats, they explained that they weren't and asked for an upgrade but were turned down.

The couple claims they returned to their original seats calmly but that a US Marshal appeared moments later to escort them off.

They were able to board another flight the following day and make it to Costa Rica in time for their wedding on Thursday.

The couple said they were left bemused by the airline's treatment of them.

'We thought not a big deal, it’s not like we are trying to jump up into a first-class seat.

'We were simply in an economy row a few rows above our economy seat,' Hohl told NBC about their attempt to move.

The couple had stopped over at Texas's George Bush Intercontinental Airport (above)

The airline however claims the pair did try to sit in an upgraded seat without permission and that they refused to return to the ones they paid for.

'These passengers repeatedly attempted to sit in upgraded seating which they did not purchase and they would not follow crew instructions to return to their assigned seats.

The airline accused them of trying to sit in a more expensive seat without paying

'We’ve been in touch with them and have rebooked them on flights tomorrow,' a spokesman said.

A company spokesman told DailyMail.com that the pair were in fact trying to sit in Economy Plus seats and that no police or US Marshals were involved.

They were booked on to another flight on Sunday.

The incident caps off a nightmarish week for the embattled airline which has been flooded with complaints, criticism and worldwide outrage since a video emerged showing police violently dragging a doctor off a flight in Chicago.

Dr David Dao was left with severe injuries and bleeding from the mouth when he was physically dragged against his will from the aircraft.

A video of his shocking removal from the flight went viral last week.

He had been selected at random to be removed from the plane because it was overbooked and was forcibly removed when he refused.

He now intends to sue the airline.