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Following the dragging of a doctor from a plane - after he refused to leave when a computer selected him for removal when the airline overbooked the flight - United CEO Oscar Munoz has (finally) responded...Update: United CEO issues apology to passenger dragged off flightThis is an upsetting event to all of us here at United. I apologize for us here at United. I apologize for having to re-accommodate these customers.
Our team is moving with a sense of urgency to work with the authorities and conduct our own detailed review of what happened.
We are also reaching out to this passenger to talk directly to him and further address and resolve this further address and resolve this situation.
The CEO of United Continental has apologized for the airline's handling of a passenger who was forcibly removed from a flight in Chicago. The incident caused media outrage and the airline to lose millions of dollars, as its stock tumbled.Update: The Chicago Tribune reports Dr. Dao has hired an attorney:
"I deeply apologize to the customer forcibly removed and to all the customers aboard," United Chief Executive Officer Oscar Munoz said in a statement on Tuesday afternoon. "No one should ever be mistreated this way."
"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said, promising a review or airline's policies on crew movement, volunteer incentives, oversold flights and interactions with law enforcement, to be concluded by the end of April.
"It's never too late to do the right thing. I have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what's broken so this never happens again," Munoz said.
Meanwhile, David Dao, the passenger at the center of the growing imbroglio, retained a high-powered Chicago personal injury lawyer, Thomas Demetrio.Update: A newly released video has emerged showing the heated exchange between David Dao and police before he was removed from the plane. Dao's lawyers have filed an emergency request at the Illinois State Court to instruct United to preserve all evidence pertaining to the incident, including video recordings, cockpit voice recordings and passenger lists as they begin the legal process.
Dao was in a Chicago hospital undergoing treatment for his injuries Tuesday, according to a statement from Demetrio, who is helping represent Dao and his family.
Demetrio's practice centers on medical negligence, product liability, airplane crash and commercial litigation on behalf of plaintiffs and he has negotiated more than $1 billion in settlements, according to the firm's website.
David Dao, the passenger who was brutally removed from a United Airlines flight, suffered a "significant" concussion, a "serious" broken nose and lost two front teeth in the ordeal, according to his lawyer.
Demetrio, who described the police in the incident as "storm troopers", said Dao was discharged from hospital Wednesday after spending three days recovering from the incident. He said Dao will need reconstructive surgery to repair what he says is a badly broken nose.
Demetrio declined to comment on the monetary amount he will be seeking on behalf of his client but, following an investigation, said they will come to a "fair and adequate compensation".
Comment: Monotheistic religions - Playground for psychopaths