United Airlines CEO calls passenger's
removal a 'mistake of epic proportions'
Oscar Munoz contrite before House
transportation committee
David Dao’s ‘terrible experience’
described as a ‘turning point’ for airline
Associated Press in Washington
Tuesday 2 May 2017 18.52 BST Last modified on Wednesday 3
May 2017 02.55 BST
The United Airlines chief executive, Oscar Munoz, has told a
congressional committee that an incident in which a passenger was forcibly
removed from a flight, prompting a blizzard of bad publicity, was a “mistake of
epic proportions”.
“It was a mistake of
epic proportions, clearly, in hindsight,” a contrite Munoz told a hearing of
the transportation committee of the House of Representatives on Capitol Hill on
Tuesday.
He added: “This is a turning point for United and our 87,000
professionals. It is my mission to ensure we make the changes needed to provide
our customers with the highest level of service and the deepest sense of
respect.”
The passenger, David Dao, he said, was treated in a way that
no customer – or individual – should be treated, calling it a “terrible
experience” that should never be repeated.
Dao was waiting to fly from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky,
on 9 April when the airline decided it needed four seats on his flight for
Republic Airline crew members needed to work on a United Express flight in
Louisville the next morning.
When Dao and his wife were selected for bumping, he refused
to leave. Dao was then dragged off the flight, suffering injuries that his
attorney has said included lost teeth, a broken nose and a concussion.
Video of the incident sparked withering criticism and
mockery of United online and in the media. Munoz initially blamed Dao, but
later said he was horrified by the event and called it a failure on United’s
part.
United reached a settlement with Dao and issued new policies
designed to prevent customer-service failures. The airline and lawyers for Dao
have declined to disclose financial terms of the settlement.
Dao’s attorney has praised the airline and Munoz for
accepting responsibility and not blaming others, including the city of Chicago,
whose airport security officers yanked Dao from his seat and dragged him off
the United Express plane.
‘Lawsuit? Yeah probably’, says attorney of passenger dragged
off United Airlines plane
United has vowed to reduce – but not eliminate –
overbooking. The airline will raise to $10,000 the limit on payments to
customers who give up seats on oversold flights, Munoz said. The airline also
said it would improve employee training.
The incident ignited a debate about poor service and a lack
of customer-friendly policies on US airlines. United’s president, Scott Kirby,
joined Munoz at Tuesday’s hearing, along with top executives of American
Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Southwest Airlines.
The House transportation committee chair, Bill Shuster, a
Pennsylvania Republican, said United and other carriers should use the
notoriety of Dao’s removal to improve customer service. If changes are not
made, he said, Congress was likely to step in.
“Seize this opportunity,” Shuster told Munoz and the other
executives. Otherwise, “we’re going to act and you’re not going to like it”.
Shuster predicted a “one-size-fits-all” solution that may serve some airlines,
but not all.
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