By Amanda Anabeza, Courier Staff Writer
Disturbing video clips were captured by United Airlines passengers this Sunday that have viewers reconsidering their future flight booking preferences. After a Kentucky physician, David Dao, refused to exit the overbooked plane and give up his seat, he was forcibly removed by security officers.
The video shows Dao being yanked out of his seat, screaming, and dragged down the aisle by his arms. His glasses were no longer correctly positioned on his face, his shirt rose above his midriff, and he was clearly bleeding from his nose and/or mouth.
Dao was one of the four passengers selected to be bumped but he did not comply like the others had. An employee had earlier specified that there were four employees that needed to get to Louisville and that the plane would not depart unless they were given seats. Mr. Hobart, a United spokesperson, would not state how these passengers were chosen.
After a couple was forced to give up their seats, Dao was approached by the same employee with the same request and he replied, “I’m not getting off the plane. I’m a doctor; I have to see patients in the morning.” When it was clear he was not going to willingly leave, she went to call security. Dao shouted after her complaining that he had been singled out because of his Chinese background.
Oscar Munoz, the chief executive of United, apologized: “Our team is with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened… We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this situation.” He also stated that United would reassess the airline’s passenger-removal policy and promised that something like this will never happen again.
All passengers of Flight 3411 are being fully reimbursed for the price of their ticket and at least three of the police officers at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport who were involved have been placed on leave as a result of this incident.
Not too long ago towards the end of March, another altercation arose from this particular airline at Denver International Airport. United had barred two teenage girls from boarding a flight and required a child to change when the gate agent deemed their leggings inappropriate. Those who followed the situation on social media were outraged at this sexist policy but United chose to defend their decision in a series of tweets.
Following the more recent controversy, shares of the airline happened to fall 6.3%, dropping $1.4 billion from the now $21 billion company by market cap on Tuesday. It’s hard to say how or when United will recover from this profit loss and negative publicity.