United Airlines reaches settlement with passenger who was dragged from plane
CHICAGO: United Airlines and the passenger who was dragged from a Chicago flight earlier this month have reached a settlement for an undisclosed sum, they said on Thursday, in the carrier's latest step to contain damage from an incident that sparked international outrage.
Viral videos of Dr David Dao being dragged down the aisle of a United jet and chief executive Oscar Munoz's handling of the incident touched off a public outcry, prompted calls from congressmen for new industry regulation, and led United's board of directors to reverse an agreement to make Mr Munoz company chairman in 2018.
United said earlier on Thursday it would offer passengers who give up their seats up to $10,000, reduce overbooking of flights and no longer call on law enforcement officers to deny ticketed passengers their seats.
Southwest Airlines also said on Thursday that it would end overbooking of flights.
FULL RESPONSIBILITY
Dr Dao, a 69-year-old Vietnamese-American doctor, was injured when Chicago aviation police removed him from his seat and then dragged him from the plane to make space for four crew members on the flight from O'Hare International Airport to Louisville, Kentucky.
United has taken "full responsibility for what happened on Flight 3411, without attempting to blame others, including the City of Chicago", Mr Thomas Demetrio, an attorney for Dao, said in a statement.
Mr Demetrio said there was no need to proceed with separate litigation against the city.
Republic Airways, United's regional partner which operated the flight that Dr Dao was on, has also been released from responsibility as part of the settlement, Mr Demetrio's office said.
United said in a separate statement that it was pleased to reach "an amicable resolution of the unfortunate incident that occurred aboard flight 3411".
It added: "We look forward to implementing the improvements we have announced, which will put our customers at the centre of everything we do."- REUTERS
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