Deplaning of passenger sparks outrage, anger

United Express flight was overbooked

April 11, 2017 10:36 pm | Updated 10:36 pm IST - Chicago

The unidentified passenger being dragged off the United Airliens flight. Audra D. Bridges

The unidentified passenger being dragged off the United Airliens flight. Audra D. Bridges

Several minutes after a passenger recorded a video watched around the world that showed security officers dragging another passenger off an overbooked United Express flight at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, a smaller snippet of video showed an even more troubling scene.

There stood the passenger who had been dragged on his back to the front of the plane, appearing dazed as he spoke through bloody lips and blood that had spilled onto his chin.

“I want to go home, I want to go home,” he said.

Possible backlash

The treatment of the passenger on Sunday night prompted outrage and scorn on social media. It could prompt a backlash against United from passengers threatening to boycott the airline as the busy summer travel season begins.

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

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