United Airlines CEO blames “disruptive and belligerent” passenger for Sunday’s incident

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United Airlines CEO blames “disruptive and belligerent” passenger for Sunday’s incident | Secret Flying

United Airlines CEO, Oscar Munoz, defended his staff in the incident where a passenger was violently removed from an overbooked plane.

 

On Sunday, United Airlines overbooked a flight after deciding at the last minute to fly four staff members to a connection point. Consequently, four passengers needed to make way for them.

 

Passengers were offered $400, a hotel room for the night, and a flight the following afternoon. When nobody took this offer, the inducement was raised to $800. Still, no passenger wanted to give up their seat.

 

A United Airlines manager then boarded the plane and announced that four passengers would now be randomly selected to leave the aircraft.

 

 

A couple and another passenger, reportedly the wife of the man who was forcibly removed, agreed to leave. However, the husband refused to do so as he said he was a doctor and had patients to see on Monday morning – the next flight on offer departed on Monday afternoon at 15:00.

 

After airline staff realised the man was not going to leave the aircraft, Chicago Aviation Security Officers were called and what ensued has become a PR disaster for United Airlines.

 

As videos show, the man was violently removed from his seat by the security officers. Bloodied and possibly in a state of unconsciousness, he is dragged off the plane. Other passengers can be heard in the video voicing their concerns of the mistreatment of their fellow passenger.

 

Somehow, the man returned minutes later onto the plane in a state of confusion, repeatedly saying: “Just kill me” and “I need to go home.” Chicago O’Hare International Airport police eventually escorted him off the plane.

 

Social media has exploded since the incident with calls to #BoycottUnitedAirlines trending across many platforms.

 

 

In a letter from the airline’s CEO to staff members, Oscar Munoz claimed that the the passenger was “disruptive and belligerent”, and told the airline’s employees that they “followed established procedures”.

 

In an attempt to deflect blame, Chicago police said the man “fell” when aviation officers “attempted to carry the individual off the flight … His head subsequently struck an armrest causing injuries to his face”.

 

An online petition calling for Oscar Munoz resignation has received more than 9,000 signatures.