Blog 9 - United Airlines' $1 Billion Mistake

     #UnitedagainstUnited! Many are enraged at United Airlines after videos of a passenger getting dragged out on one of their flights were released online. Of course, overbooking happens all the time. UA just chose to poorly react to this incident. Instead of offering passengers more money to give up their seats, UA randomly selected four customers to leave once everyone already boarded the plane. One of those four, however, refused to give up his seat. This passenger, David Dao, happened to be a doctor, who desperately needed to take this flight back to meet with his patients the next morning. People are outraged by UA's inhumane treatment of this passenger. He was forcefully dragged down the aisle of the plane by Chicago Aviation Security Officers while other passengers screamed in horror of his treatment. Another video showed Dr. Dao screaming "just kill me" while bleeding from the side of his face.

     To make matters worse, United Airlines' CEO, Oscar Munoz, offered an apology that deemed by many to be insensitive towards the incident. Rather than apologizing for the violence against Dr. Dao, CEO Munoz was apologetic for "having to re-accommodate these customers." Had the CEO just sincerely apologized for the violence that occurred on day one, maybe United Airlines' stocks wouldn't have plummetted by 6.4%, resulting in a $1.4 billion loss in the company's market capitalization. Not only is United Airlines losing money, it's also being criticized by travelers worldwide. Many took to social media to express their disappointment in the airline and especially its reaction to the incident. Some even threatened to never fly United Airlines again. The boycott against the airline continues to heighten, as the public wait for CEO Oscar Munoz's further actions.