United Airlines to review policies on removal of passengers after doctor left bloodied

The CEO of United Airlines' parent company is pledging to review policies after a passenger was dragged off a full fight in Chicago.

After earlier describing the passenger as "disruptive and belligerent", Oscar Munoz said on yesterday that no one should be mistreated that way.

He described the removal by airport police as "truly horrific".

United CEO Oscar Munoz: I’m sorry. We will fix this. https://t.co/v8EPGsiDCi pic.twitter.com/eOPiYcagvo

— United Airlines (@united) April 11, 2017

Mr Munoz also said the company would reassess policies for seeking volunteers to give up their seats, for handling oversold flights and for partnering with airport authorities.

The passenger was identified as 69-year-old Kentucky physician David Dao.

The doctor was seen with a bloodied face on mobile-phone recordings by other passengers at O'Hare Airport.

Dr Dao is being treated at a Chicago hospital for injuries he suffered on the plane and has not spoken publicly about the incident.

His lawyer Stephen L. Golan said the family "wants the world to know that they are very appreciative of the outpouring of prayers, concern and support they have received".

Airport officials have said little about Sunday's events and nothing about Dr Dao's behavior before he was pulled from the jet that was bound for Louisville, Kentucky.

The Chicago Aviation Department has said only that one of its employees who removed Dr Dao did not follow proper procedures and has been placed on leave.

No passengers on the plane have mentioned that Dr Dao did anything but refuse to leave the plane when he was ordered to do so.

The event stemmed from a common air travel issue - a full flight.

United was trying to make room for four employees of a partner airline, meaning four people had to get off.

At first, the airline asked for volunteers, offering $400 and then when that did not work, $800 per passenger to relinquish a seat. When no one voluntarily came forward, United selected four passengers at random.

Three people got off the flight, but the fourth said he was a doctor and needed to get home to treat patients on Monday. He refused to leave.

Three Aviation Department police officers got on the plane.

Two officers tried to reason with the man before a third came aboard and pointed at the man "basically saying: 'Sir, you have to get off the plane'," said Tyler Bridges, a passenger whose wife, Audra Bridges, posted a video on Facebook.

One of the officers could be seen grabbing the screaming man from his window seat, across the armrest and dragging him down the aisle by his arms.

Other passengers on Flight 3411 are heard saying: "Please, my God", ''What are you doing?", ''This is wrong", ''Look at what you did to him", and "Busted his lip".

The US Department of Transportation has said that it is reviewing Sunday's events to see if United violated rules on overselling flights.