https://twitter.com/Tyler_Bridges/status/851214160042106880
A United Airlines passenger claiming to be a doctor was forcibly removed from a flight headed to Louisville late Sunday night, caught in this shocking video taken by one of the other passengers. According to Tyler Bridges, who live tweeted the ordeal, United announced that the flight was overbooked and asked for volunteers to give up seats to accommodate crew members.
When no one offered up their seats, United staff reportedly settled on the man in the video, who allegedly begged not to be removed as he said he had patients to see in the morning. Airport security is then seen dragging the screaming man from his seat and down the aisle of the plane. Another clearly alarmed passenger can be seen pleading with the security officers, “No! Guys, my god, what are you doing? No, this is wrong, oh my god, look at what you’re doing to him!”
Here’s video from another angle:
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
Passenger Bridges laid out exactly what happened on the plane in a series of tweets.
United Flight 3411 from ORD to SDF, the man was forcibly removed because the flight was overbooked and united crew needed to get to SDF
— Tyler Bridges (@Tyler_Bridges) April 9, 2017
Kids were crying people are disturbed. Also after being removed the bloodied man somehow ran back on the plane repeating-I have to get home
— Tyler Bridges (@Tyler_Bridges) April 10, 2017
I'm not sure, he told the police and the united employees he had to be at the hospital in the morning to see patients
— Tyler Bridges (@Tyler_Bridges) April 10, 2017
Bridges later posted another disturbing video of the panicked man, who somehow managed to get back on the flight chanting, “I have to get home, I have to get home” over and over. Another passenger caught the ugly incident from another angle in an equally disturbing video, and tweeted additional details backing up Bridges’ story.
#United overbooked and wanted 4 of us to volunteer to give up our seats for personnel that needed to be at work the next day.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
No one volunteered, so @United decided to choose for us. They chose an Asian doctor and his wife.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
The doctor needed to work at the hospital the next day, so he refused to "volunteer." @United decided to use force on doctor.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
A couple air port security men forcefully pulled the doctor out of his chair and to the floor of the aisle.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
In so doing, the doctor's face was slammed against an arm rest, causing serious bleeding from his mouth.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
It looked like he was knocked out, because he went limp and quiet and they dragged him out of the plane like a rag doll.
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
10mins later, the doctor runs back into the plane with a bloody face, clings to a post in the back, chanting, "I need to go home."
— Jayse D. Anspach (@JayseDavid) April 10, 2017
United has already released a statement regarding the incident, which does not seem to be helping to quell the public outrage, as the video has already spread across the internet like wildfire.
Flight 3411 from Chicago to Louisville was overbooked. After our team looked for volunteers, one customer refused to leave the aircraft voluntarily and law enforcement was asked to come to the gate. We apologize for the overbook situation.
We apologize for the overbook situation. Further details on the removed customer should be directed to authorities. ^RD
— United Airlines (@united) April 10, 2017
Between this and the recent incident in which United forced passengers off a flight for wearing leggings, this is yet another unfortunate example of the airline’s abysmal customer public relations.
Update: New video has surfaced of the man bleeding from his mouth and saying, “kill me.”
https://twitter.com/kaylyn_davis/status/851480498186485760
#flythefriendlyskies my husband was on that flight. Screw you United!! @united pic.twitter.com/4EcxrMy5jZ
— Kaylyn Davis (@kaylyn_davis) April 10, 2017
(Via Reddit, WHAS 11 News)