United Airlines to offer $10,000 to voluntarily bumped passengers

After one too many PR fiascos, United Airlines has announced it will now offer passengers $10,000 to voluntarily give up their spot on an overbooked flight

United Airlines is attempting to address overbooking issues (Getty)

United Airlines has released a new report outlining how it will change its ways in the wake of an incident where a passenger was dragged off an overbooked flight.

A video of David Dao, a doctor, being forcibly removed from a flight from Chicago to Louisville by police after he refused to give up his seat, quickly went viral, leaving viewers the world over outraged at United’s response.

The incident generated huge amounts of negative press, and the airline has now responded with a list of ways it plans to improve its service. United says it will up the amount offered to passengers who agree to give up their seat on an overbooked flight to $10,000 (£7,750). In contrast, passengers on the David Dao flight were offered just $800 (£620).

Additionally, United pledged to reduce the amount of overbooking on flights and to bump passengers before they have boarded the plane. Extra training will also be provided for staff.

The new policy outlines rules to determine which passengers will get bumped if a flight is oversold. Anyone without a seat assignment will be denied boarding, and passengers who paid the least for their ticket are the first candidates to be bumped involuntarily. Passengers who paid the same fare but checked in later will be bumped ahead of those who checked in before them. And unaccompanied minors and passengers with disabilities won't ever be bumped.

Oscar Munoz, United Airlines CEO, was chastised for his slow response in apologising for the incident, but has since admitted the airline’s failings.

“I breached public trust with this event and how we responded," Munoz told The Associated Press. "People are upset, and I suspect that there are a lot of people potentially thinking of not flying us."

Lawyers for David Dao have since said he will “probably” file a lawsuit. It isn't the only PR disaster for United this year, either. On 17 April the carrier was accused of unfairly removing a couple travelling to their wedding.

Michael Hohl and his fiancée, Amber Maxwell, said they were escorted from their Houston-Costa Rica flight by a federal marshal after a seating error. And United came under fire again after a giant rabbit that was destined to become the world's biggest reportedly died on a United Airlines flight, on the way to its new home with a "very famous" celebrity.

Three-foot Simon, a continental giant rabbit aged 10 months, was said to have been travelling from Heathrow to O'Hare in Chicago after being bought by an unidentified star in the United States. Breeder Annette Edwards, from Worcestershire, told The Sun that Simon was expected to grow to be the world's biggest rabbit after his father Darius grew to 4ft 4in (1.32m).