Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
United Airlines says it will no longer use police to remove passengers
United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz  (Photo: AP)
News
April 11, 2017

United Airlines says it will no longer use police to remove passengers

CHICAGO, United States (AP) — The chief executive of United Airlines said the carrier will no longer ask police to remove passengers from full flights after the uproar over a man who was dragged off a plane by airport officers in Chicago.

In an interview with ABC’s “Good Morning America” aired Wednesday, Oscar Munoz said he felt “ashamed” watching video of the man being forced off the jet. He has promised to review the airline’s passenger-removal policy.

Munoz, who leads United’s parent company, apologized again to Kentucky physician David Dao, his family and the other passengers who witnessed him being taken off the flight.

“That is not who our family at United is,” he said. “This will never happen again on a United flight. That’s my promise.”

In the future, law enforcement will not be involved in removing a “booked, paid, seated passenger,” Munoz said. “We can’t do that.”

Also Wednesday, a Chicago alderman said representatives from United and the city’s Aviation Department have been summoned before a city council committee to answer questions about the confrontation at O’Hare Airport.

Alderman Mike Zalewski said he did not know who will represent the airline before the Aviation Committee, but Munoz has been notified of the hearing scheduled for Thursday.

Chicago Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans will also speak.

Munoz called the embarrassment a “system failure” and said United would reassess its procedures for seeking volunteers to give up their seats when a flight is full.United was trying to find seats for four employees, meaning four passengers had to deplane.

It was at least Munoz’s fourth statement about the confrontation.

After the video first emerged, he said the airline was reaching out to the man to “resolve this situation.”

Hours later on Monday, his tone turned defensive. He described the man as “disruptive and belligerent.”

By Tuesday afternoon, almost two days after the Sunday evening events, Munoz issued another apology.

“No one should ever be mistreated this way,” Munoz said.

The passenger was identified as Dao, a 69-year-old physician from Elizabethtown, Kentucky.

An attorney who represents Dao said his client was being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he sustained on the plane and that the family would not comment.

Dao’s relatives are focused only on his medical care, attorney Stephen L. Golan said. The family “wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received.”

Airport officials have said little about Sunday’s events and nothing about Dao’s behavior before he was pulled from the jet that was bound for Louisville, Kentucky. Likewise, the Chicago Aviation Department has said only that one of its employees who removed Dao did not follow proper procedures and has been placed on leave.

No passengers on the plane have mentioned that Dao did anything but refuse to leave the plane when he was ordered to do so.

The event stemmed from a common air travel issue — a full flight.

At first, the airline asked for volunteers, offering US$400 and then when that did not work, US$800 per passenger to relinquish a seat. When no one voluntarily came forward, United selected four passengers at random.

Three people got off the flight, but the fourth said he was a doctor and needed to get home to treat patients on Monday. He refused to leave.

That’s when three Aviation Department police officers boarded the plane. When Dao refused to leave his seat, one of the officers could be seen grabbing the screaming man from his window seat and dragging him down the aisle by his arms.

Other passengers on Flight 3411 are heard saying, “Please, my God,” ”What are you doing?” ”This is wrong,” ”Look at what you did to him” and “Busted his lip.”

The US Department of Transportation announced Tuesday that it was reviewing Sunday’s events to see if United violated rules on overselling flights. The four top-ranking members of the Senate Commerce Committee asked the airline and Chicago airport officials for more information about what happened.

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
img img
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

France lose appeal against Olise booking at World Cup
International News, Latest News
France lose appeal against Olise booking at World Cup
July 8, 2026
FOXBOROUGH, United States (AFP)—France coach Didier Deschamps revealed on Wednesday that an appeal against a yellow card shown to Michael Olise in the...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
UN launches appeal to raise $296 mn for Venezuela quake relief
International News, Latest News
UN launches appeal to raise $296 mn for Venezuela quake relief
July 8, 2026
UNITED NATIONS, United States (AFP)—The United Nations launched an urgent appeal Wednesday to raise $296 million for Venezuela earthquake relief opera...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Yoni Epstein elected president of GSAJ
Latest News, News
Yoni Epstein elected president of GSAJ
July 8, 2026
ST JAMES, Jamaica — Yoni Epstein, chief executive officer of itel, one of Jamaica's leading business process outsourcing (BPO) companies, has been ele...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Air traffic down at half-year mark
Business, Latest News
Air traffic down at half-year mark
July 8, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Passenger traffic through Sangster International Airport (SIA) and Norman Manley International Airport (NMIA) remained under press...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
WATCH: Smooth start to Kingston and St Andrew Traffic Ticket Public Days
Latest News, News, Videos
WATCH: Smooth start to Kingston and St Andrew Traffic Ticket Public Days
July 8, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Police say the Kingston and St Andrew Traffic Ticket Public Days have gotten off to a smooth start at the National Arena. The two-...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Haiti sends major medical mission to Venezuela
Latest News, Regional
Haiti sends major medical mission to Venezuela
July 8, 2026
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (CMC) — The Government of Haiti has dispatched a humanitarian medical mission to Venezuela to assist victims of the devastating ...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
UPDATE: Man charged with murder of girlfriend in Parottee
Latest News, News
UPDATE: Man charged with murder of girlfriend in Parottee
July 8, 2026
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Police on Tuesday charged a 38-year-old licensed firearm holder with murder, four days after his 20-year-old girlfriend was sh...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Venezuela calls for release of frozen assets to help quake recovery
International News, Latest News
Venezuela calls for release of frozen assets to help quake recovery
July 8, 2026
CARACAS, Venezuela (AFP)—Venezuela's government on Wednesday called for the release of frozen assets to help raise funds for the country's recovery fr...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct