The CEO of United Airlines has apologised for what he described as the 'truly horrific' removal of a passenger from an overbooked flight.
Oscar Munoz said he 'continues to be disturbed' by the incident that happened on Sunday, during which a passenger was forcibly dragged off a plane and added that the company would 'fix what's broken so it never happens again'.
Dr David Dao, 69, was snatched from his seat, and his limp body pulled from the passenger cabin of United Airlines Flight 3411t at Chicago's O'Hare Airport on Sunday, prompting a large-scale backlash against the airline.
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Watch the disturbing footage of the incident here...
Credit: Twitter/Tyler Bridges
The forced removal came because the flight was overbooked and no passengers chose to voluntarily exit the plane. Dr Dao is currently recovering from the incident in a Chicago hospital.
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Initially United Airlines CEO, Oscar Munoz sent out a memo to staff that appeared to support the men who removed Dr Dao by describing him as 'disruptive and belligerent'.
Oscar Munoz's earlier memo read: "Dear Team, Like you, I was upset to see and hear about what happened last night aboard United Express Flight 3411 headed from Chicago to Louisville.
"While the facts and circumstances are still evolving, especially with respect to why this customer defied Chicago Aviation Security Officers the way he did, to give you a clearer picture of what transpired, I've included below a recap from the preliminary reports filed by our employees.
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"As you will read, this situation was unfortunately compounded when one of the passengers we politely asked to deplane refused and it became necessary to contact Chicago Aviation Security Officers to help. Our employees followed established procedures for dealing with situations like this.
"While I deeply regret this situation arose, I also emphatically stand behind all of you, and I want to commend you for continuing to go above and beyond to ensure we fly right. I do, however, believe there are lessons we can learn from this experience, and we are taking a close look at the circumstances surrounding this incident.
Credit: Instagram/Christine Dao Gladman
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"Treating our customers and each other with respect and dignity is at the core of who we are, and we must always remember this no matter how challenging the situation."
But after shares in United Continental Holdings Inc. fell 2.6% in Tuesday morning trading the CEO appears to have changed his tune.
Featured Image Credit: Twitter / PA ImagesTopics: United Airlines
