2017 United Express passenger removal

The 2017 United Express passenger removal incident occurred on April 9, 2017, when Dr. David Dao, a passenger on United Express Flight 3411, was forcibly removed from the aircraft by Chicago Department of Aviation security officers. The flight was operated by Republic Airways on behalf of United Airlines, and the incident took place at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois. The event sparked widespread outrage and led to significant public relations challenges for United Airlines.

Background

The aircraft involved in the incident, a Republic Airways Embraer 170, registration N632RW.

The flight was scheduled to depart from Chicago to Louisville International Airport in Louisville, Kentucky. Due to the need to accommodate four United employees who needed to be in Louisville for a flight the next day, the airline decided to involuntarily bump four passengers from the flight. Passengers were initially offered compensation to voluntarily give up their seats, but when no one accepted, the airline selected four passengers to be removed.

Incident

Dr. David Dao, a 69-year-old physician, was one of the passengers selected to be removed. When he refused to leave the aircraft, citing his need to see patients the following day, security officers were called to remove him. The officers forcibly dragged Dr. Dao from his seat, causing him to sustain injuries, including a concussion, a broken nose, and the loss of two teeth. The incident was captured on video by fellow passengers and quickly went viral on social media.

Public Reaction

The video of Dr. Dao's removal led to a public outcry against United Airlines. The airline's initial response, which included a statement from CEO Oscar Munoz that described Dr. Dao as "disruptive and belligerent," was widely criticized. Munoz later issued a more formal apology, stating that "no one should ever be mistreated this way."

White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer addressing questions about the incident.

The incident also drew attention from government officials and prompted discussions about airline overbooking policies. White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer addressed the incident during a press briefing, acknowledging the public's concern and the need for airlines to review their policies.

Aftermath

Following the incident, United Airlines announced several policy changes, including increasing the compensation offered to passengers who voluntarily give up their seats and reducing the use of law enforcement to remove passengers. Dr. Dao reached an undisclosed settlement with United Airlines.

Related pages

• United Airlines
• Overbooking
• Airline passenger rights