United CEO Offers Apology With Flight 3411 Refunds

Affected passengers will receive a choice of compensation, as legal maneuvers begin in the aftermath of forced removal.

As if the United Flight 3411 situation has not cost United Airlines in negative publicity, the forced removal of a passenger will soon affect the airline through cash payments to flyers. During an interview with ABC News, United chief executive Oscar Munoz announced his disappointment with how the overbooked and delayed flight was handled on Sunday, April 9, 2017, with promises of change in the future.

“It was a system failure,” Munoz conceded during his interview. “We have not provided our front-line supervisors and managers and individuals [sic] with the proper tools, policies and procedures that allow them to use their common sense.”

In a follow-up statement provided by a United spokesperson, the airline announced that affected individuals will receive their choice of compensation in the form of a cash refund, travel vouchers towards future flights, or United MileagePlus miles. The total refund will not exceed the paid cash value of their tickets.

The executive also offered a direct apology to the removed individual, identified by multiple outlets as Dr. David Dao of Elizabethtown, Ky. The spoken statement during the interview went beyond the previous three statements offered by Munoz in the immediate aftermath of the situation.

“As I think about our business and our people, the first thing I think is important to say is to apologize to Dr. Dao, his family, the passengers on that flight, our customers, our employees,” Munoz said. “That is not who our family at United is […] My initial words fell short of truly expressing what we were feeling.”

The apology and refund offer comes as new details emerge of mistreated passengers aboard United aircraft. The Los Angeles Times detailed another case where a paying passenger was threatened with law enforcement action if they did not yield their seat to a “higher priority” passenger from another flight.

Geoff Fearns, a president of a California investment firm, told the Los Angeles Times that he paid for a full-fare first class ticket to return early from a conference in Hawaii. Prior to takeoff, Fearns claims he was threatened with removal by force if he did not leave his seat and accept a downgrade to economy.

“I understand you might bump people because a flight is full,” Fearns told the newspaper. “But they didn’t say anything at the gate. I was already in the seat. And now they were telling me I had no choice. They said they’d put me in cuffs if they had to.”

Munoz noted that he did not know any details of the allegations, but said that the case was “probably another good example of why [United’s] policies need to be re-examined.” He further noted that immediate policy changes would bar law enforcement officers from removing “a booked, paid, seated passenger.”

Despite the refunds, legal action stemming from the incident could be looming. Attorneys representing Dr. Dao have filed a petition in Clark County, Ill. court to seize evidence from the flight, including surveillance video, cockpit voice recorder data and the passenger list. Through a statement, the lawyers expressed the gratitude of Dr. Dao while requesting privacy for his family.

“The family of Dr. Dao wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received,” Stephen L. Golan of Golan Christie Taglia and Thomas A. Demetrio of Corboy and Demetrio said in a joint media statement. “Currently, they are focused only on Dr. Dao’s medical care and treatment.”

Additionally, representatives from United and the Chicago Department of Aviation will be called before a Chicago City Council Aviation Committee hearing over the incident on Thursday, April 13. In Canada, the CBC reports lawmakers will consider legislation which would address passengers’ rights when they are bumped from aircraft.

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