CHICAGO _ United Airlines has reached a settlement agreement with the passenger who was bloodied and dragged down the aisle of a plane after refusing to give up his seat, attorneys for the passenger and United said Thursday.
Dr. David Dao, 69, of Elizabethtown, Ky., was one of four passengers on an April 9 flight leaving O'Hare International Airport who were picked to be involuntarily bumped to make room for airline employees. When Dao refused to leave the plane, the airline called in Chicago Aviation Department officers, who dragged him off the flight.
"(United CEO Oscar Munoz) said he was going to do the right thing, and he has," said Dao's attorney, Thomas Demetrio. "In addition, United has taken full responsibility for what happened on Flight 3411, without attempting to blame others, including the city of Chicago. For this acceptance of corporate accountability, United is to be applauded."
In a statement, United said it was pleased to report the "amicable resolution of the unfortunate incident that occurred aboard flight 3411."
The settlement was announced the same day United detailed promised policy changes aimed at preventing similar situations, part of a broader internal review of what happened on Dao's flight and the airline's policies around oversold flights.
Those changes include limiting use of law enforcement to safety and security issues, reducing overbooking, additional employee training and paying passengers on overbooked flights up to $10,000 to voluntarily switch to later flights.
