UNITED IN DISDAIN

A passenger dragged from an overbooked United Airlines flight sparked an uproar Monday. United is believed to have offered $400 and then $800 vouchers and a hotel stay for four volunteers to give up their seats because a flight waiting to depart from Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was overbooked. The airline was trying to make room for four of its employees. “We almost felt like we were being taken hostage,” passenger Tyler Bridges said. When no one volunteered, a United manager announced that passengers would be chosen at random. When employees named four customers who had to leave, three of them did so. The fourth refused, and police were called. The passenger told the manager he was a doctor who needed to see patients in the morning, Bridges said. Two aviation police officers tried to reason with the man before a third came aboard and said, “basically, ‘ Sir, you have to get off the plane,’ ” Bridges said. The police dragged the man — who was shouting and pleading — over the armrest and from his seat. He was then dragged down the aisle, his lip bleeding. On videos posted to social media, other passengers are yelling at the officers, saying they should be “ashamed.” A few minutes later, the man who was removed from the plane returned, looking dazed and saying he had to get home, Bridges said. Officers followed him to the back of the plane. Eventually, United told everyone to get off because they had to “tidy up.” The plane departed three hours later and without the man at the centre of the altercation. One passenger said she saw him being taken away by ambulance. United originally apologized for the “overbooking.” Later Hobart told The Associated Press, “We followed the right procedures.” Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines’ parent company, described the event as “upsetting” and apologized for “having to re- accommodate these customers.”