Video of police officers dragging a passenger (David Dao a doctor from Elizabethtown Kentucky), from a United Airlines flight.

A United spokesman conceded Tuesday that the flight was sold out but not “overbooked,” as the airline originally claimed, meaning four ticketed passengers, including the man, were kicked off the plane to make way for crew members that United said needed to make the flight as reported here; https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2017/04/11/whos-losing-internet-and-plenty-customers-united-airlines/100295762/

As the flight waited to depart from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport, officers could be seen grabbing the screaming man from a window seat, pulling him across the armrest and dragging him down the aisle by his arms. United was trying to make room for four employees of a partner airline on the Sunday evening flight to Louisville, Kentucky.

Passenger Audra D. Bridges posted the video on Facebook. Her husband, Tyler Bridges, said United offered $400 and then $800 vouchers and a hotel stay for volunteers to give up their seats. When no one volunteered, a United manager came on the plane and announced that passengers would be chosen at random.

When airline employees named four customers who had to leave the plane, three of them did so. The fourth person refused to move, and police were called, United spokesman Charlie Hobart said.

https://youtu.be/4dlLD5uTkFk

Attorney holds news conference on lawsuit against United Airlines

United Passenger Lawyers Up, Will Likely ‘Re-Accommodate’ Airline In Court

United Airlines has finally, belatedly, apologized for beating up one of its paying customers for his stubborn refusal to “volunteer.” Initially, United CEO Oscar Muñoz said: “I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.” When that didn’t do the trick, United smeared the victim.

George Washington law professor John Banzhaf points out that Dao wasn’t “denied boarding” therefore rule 21, “Refusal of Transport,” should apply to Dao, not rule 25.

Banzhaf writes:  Rule 21, entitled “Refusal of Transport,” is very different because it clearly and expressly covers situations in which a passenger who has already boarded the plane can be removed…

The rule, which unlike the denied boarding rule does provide for removal “from the aircraft at any point,” lists some two dozen justifications including: unruly behavior, intoxication, inability to fit into one seat, medical problems or concerns, etc. But nowhere in the list of some two dozen reasons is there anything about over booking, the need to free up seats, the need for seats to accommodate crew members to be used on a different flight etc.

United passenger gets second helping of humiliation

It’s certainly been a rough week for David Dao. Sunday, he was dragged off his United Airlines flight to make way for an affiliated airline employee who needed the seat. A fellow passenger’s video of the incident broadcast the hapless Kentucky physician’s humiliation around the world.

In an ironic twist of cruel fate, the news media uncovered & reported that Dr. Dao spent five years on probation after being convicted of writing fraudulent prescriptions in 2004. Medical licensing board records cited by the Courier-Journal .

In my opinion, Dr. Dao was victimized twice; first by United Airline for treating him more UN-humanely than an animal by dragging him off the plane in which he had every right to be on and then causing worldwide scrutiny into his past, which he already paid for.

This permanent world wide stain on Dr. Dao reputation would never have been revealed were it not for United Airlines actions.

The damage done to Dr. Dao is considerably and for that, I think he is due millions, if not billions in damages.

I think Dr. Dao civil & human rights were also violated and criminal charges should be filed against those who unjustly, illegally and without provocation dragged him off the plane

United Airlines shows how to make a PR crisis a total disaster

Now he’s being raked over the coals for his response to a violent passenger incident on a United Airlines flight. Public relations experts say the CEO should have quickly offered an unreserved apology after a customer was filmed on Sunday being forcibly removed from his seat and dragged down an overbooked aircraft’s aisle.

United Airlines’ Gross Miscalculations Will Cost Them Way More Than $800

How could good public relations planning & training have helped United Airlines in the current crisis? What can it do from here? originally appeared on Quora – the place to gain and share knowledge, empowering people to learn from others and better understand the world.

MORE UNITED AIRLINES ABUSE:

Former beauty queen was roughed up on United flight: suit

A former Miss Venezuela is suing United Airlines over a nightmarish midair incident in which a flight attendant handcuffed her and enlisted two burly men to forcibly remove her in a dispute that escalated after she asked for a pillow.

Former beauty queen was roughed up on United flight and is now suing United Airlines

Customer claims she and her special needs teenage daughter were mistreated

Column: United passenger threatened with handcuffs to make room for ‘higher-priority’ traveler

It’s hard to find examples of worse decision-making and customer treatment than United Airlines having a passenger dragged from an overbooked plane. But United’s shabby treatment of Geoff Fearns, including a threat to place him in handcuffs, comes close.

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