The story was widely shared on social media…
Footage emerged on Monday of a man being forcibly removed from a United Airlines flight.
The video of the distressed passenger caused outrage online as the man was physically removed from the plane following the overbooking of the flight. One of the security staff involved in the incident has since been placed on leave pending an investigation.
Passengers shot videos of a man screaming as he was pulled from his seat on the flight before it departed from Chicago O’Hare International Airport on Sunday.
In a letter distributed to employees, seen by ABC, United Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz did not apologise for the way the passenger was handled in the incident. He stated that the passenger “defied” security.
He also revealed that the airline had been trying to make space for four employees of a partner airline, and wanted four passengers to give up their seats to accommodate them.
“We sought volunteers and then followed our involuntary denial of boarding process (including offering up to $1,000 in compensation),” Munoz wrote. “When we approached one of these passengers to explain apologetically that he was being denied boarding, he raised his voice and refused to comply with crew member instructions.”
“He was approached a few more times after that in order to gain his compliance to come off the aircraft and each time he refused and became more and more disruptive and belligerent.”
https://twitter.com/Tyler_Bridges/status/851214160042106880?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.joe.ie%2Flife-style%2Fwatch-passenger-dragged-seat-police-due-plane-overbooked-584619
The man in question, who said he was a doctor and had to board the flight in order to treat patients on Monday, can be seen with blood rolling down his chin saying: “I want to go home, I want to go home.”
The airline asked for volunteers to give up their seats for the airline staff, offering $400 in return and then when no one came forward, $800 per passenger. When still no one came forward, the airline selected four people at random.
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