United reaches confidential settlement with doctor dragged from flight
A doctor who was dragged off an overbooked United Airlines’ flight earlier this month to make way for crew members has agreed a financial settlement with the carrier.
Lawyers for Dr David Dao said that a condition of the compensation payment was that the amount would remain confidential.
Dr Dao, a Vietnamese-American, suffered concussion, a broken nose and lost two teeth when he was forcefully removed from the flight by security officers.
He had earlier refused to give up his seat after being randomly selected by staff who needed to find space for crew members on the flight from Chicago.
A video of the doctor being dragged screaming down the aisle of the aircraft caused international condemnation of the airline, which has since amended its overbooking policy.
It announced yesterday that it had increased compensation for passengers who agree to give up their seats on overbooked flights from a maximum of $1000 to up to $10,000.
The airline said it would also reduce overbooking, end the practice of forcing passengers to involuntarily give up their seats on overcrowded flights, and no longer use security officers to remove passengers.
Linsey McNeill
Editor Linsey McNeill has been writing about travel for more than three decades. Bylines include The Times, Telegraph, Observer, Guardian and Which? plus the South China Morning Post. She also shares insider tips on thetraveljournalist.co.uk
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