United CEO assures shareholders at meeting

The CEO of United Airlines assured shareholders Wednesday that the company is doing all it can to be more customer-friendly since video surfaced of a passenger being violently ejected from a plane last month.

At the company’s annual meeting, Oscar Munoz mentioned the April 9 incident at least a half-dozen times. He vowed to “redouble our efforts to be more customer-focused in everything we do.” On the streets outside, food handlers, baggage workers, cabin cleaners and other employees of United contractors demanded higher pay. About 30 were taken into custody and cited after blocking traffic and refusing police orders to move. Inside the meeting at United’s headquarters, shareholders approved all 13 directors nominated by the board plus two labor representatives, and an advisory measure on executive compensation, according to the company.

The shareholders had reason to be content.

Shares of United Continental Holdings Inc. hit a new 52-week high on Wednesday. They have even gained more than 10 percent since 69-year-old David Dao was injured by Chicago airport security officers who were called to remove him from an overbooked United Express plane. United reached an undisclosed settlement with Dao and announced several new policies, including a vow to never remove passengers from planes because the flight is overbooked. (AP)