Physician who was dragged off flight settles with United

By MICHAEL TARM and DON BABWIN / Associated Press

CHICAGO — A Kentucky doctor who was dragged off a United flight after he refused to give up his seat to employees of a partner airline reached a settlement Thursday with United for an undisclosed amount of money.

David Dao’s legal team said in a brief statement that the agreement includes a provision that the amount will remain confidential. One his lawyers praised United CEO Oscar Munoz.

Munoz “said he was going to do the right thing, and he has,” Thomas Demetrio said in the statement. “In addition, United has taken full responsibility for what happened … without attempting to blame others, including the city of Chicago.”

The settlement means United will not face the lawsuit that many observers expected. Such a court battle could have been costly, both in legal bills for United and in further public-relations damage.

United also issued a brief statement, saying it was pleased to report “an amicable resolution of the unfortunate incident that occurred aboard Flight 3411.”

Cellphone video of the April 9 confrontation aboard a jetliner at Chicago’s O’Hare Airport sparked widespread public outrage over the way Dao was treated.

The footage showed airport police officers pulling the 69-year-old father of five from his seat and dragging him down the aisle. His lawyer said he lost teeth and suffered a broken nose and a concussion.

In a phone interview with The Associated Press, Demetrio said the settlement also averts any lawsuit against the city of Chicago. Airport police officers who work for the city pulled Dao off the jet.

“United Airlines has taken full responsibility and has acted accordingly,” he told the AP. “I praise Mr. Munoz and his people for not trying to throw the city under the bus or pass the buck. He stood in front of the world and has stated that, ‘We, United, take full responsibility.’”

Demetrio said it was “unheard of” for a company to admit responsibility “in the fashion they have done.”

“I hope corporate America notices when you goof up people respect you a heck of a lot more when you admit it, instead of making people go through three years of depositions, motions, court hearings.”

He said Dao was also impressed that “United stepped up to the plate.”

The incident arose from a common air travel issue — a fully booked flight. Wanting to seat four crew members, the airline offered passengers $400 and later $800 to voluntarily relinquish their seats. When no one did, United selected four passengers at random.

Three people got off the flight, but Dao refused, saying he needed to get home to treat patients the next day. The airline then summoned the officers, who forcibly removed Dao.

The incident was a major embarrassment for United.

United’s response in the immediate aftermath was widely criticized. Munoz first defended the airline and described Dao as “belligerent” before publicly apologizing days later and vowing to do better.

The three airport police officers who dragged Dao from the plane worked for the Chicago Department of Aviation. They were placed on leave.

The agency released a report April 24 in which the officer who pulled Dao from his seat, James Long, gave his version of events. Long said Dao was verbally and physically abusive and was flailing his arms before he lost his balance and struck his mouth on an armrest.

The department’s roughly 300 officers guard the city’s two main airports but are not part of the regular Chicago police force. They receive less training and cannot carry guns inside the terminals.