On Sunday on Flight 3411 of the United Express Airlines heading to Louisville, Kentucky, a passenger was injured.
Dr. David Lao was leaving Chicago for Louisville. The flight manifesto was full, but the airline required four passengers to vacate their seats for the airline’s employees who had to be in Kentucky the following day. According to witnesses, the airline team asked for volunteers, and three people disembarked. No fourth volunteer came forward, so the staff picked Dr. Lao to leave the plane.
The world would not have heard of this story save for the video that went viral on Twitter showing a screaming, bloodied Dr. Lao being dragged by Aviation security down the aisle. Joya Cummings, who was on the plane at the time of the incident, said that Lao had simply refused to get off the aircraft before the airline security dragged him off the plane. Another witness, Tyler Bridges, clarifies that Lao had declined the request because ‘he had to get home’ and ‘had patients to see to the next day.’
According to the Chicago Police Department, Lao was forced off his seat and hit a seat arm during his ‘exodus’ and that is when he started bleeding. Lao was taken to Chicago Hospital for treatment. It is not uncommon for airlines to give travel vouchers to passengers to leave their flight. However, the United Express Airline’s approach to getting Lao to forfeit his seat was ‘unfortunate and inhuman,’ said opponents on social media.
Stephen Golan, one of two attorneys representing the Lao family, issued a statement saying that the family was grateful for the public support they had received. “They will not be making any further statements until Dr. Lao is released from the hospital, and would appreciate some privacy,” Golan added.
The airline received severe criticism from activists, politicians and ordinary Americans. The video spread through China where the airline was accused of ‘targeting Lao because of his race.’ The White House press secretary Sean Spencer stated that the President was ‘troubled’ by the incident, and would instigate a full review of it. The US Department of Transportation will investigate whether or not the airline complied with the rules of overbooking procedure, while the Chicago Department of Aviation will look into the conduct of the airline security. Already, one of the aviation officers has been placed ‘on leave’ pending an investigation into the occurrence.
In the House of Congress and the Senate, members of both parties are clamoring for a review of the law to protect flight passengers from such treatment by airlines. “We have to take action to safeguard the rights of passengers… the airline should also be made to provide full restitution for its actions,” stated Rep. Jan Schakowsky D-Ill.
What United had to say
United’s spokesperson Jonathan Guerin stated that the company was taking further steps to address the situation. Oscar Munoz, the airline’s CEO gave two public apologies on behalf of the company. In the first, he apologized for the rough treatment of Lao but defended the officers by claiming that Lao was ‘belligerent.’ A witness refuted the accusation. Munoz gave a second apology on Tuesday in which he promised that the company would review its policies and reveal them to the public by the end of April.
United Express Holdings shares fell by 4% on Tuesday during the daytime and closed at a 1% loss.
