A group of Senate Democrats led by Minority Leader Chuck Schumer ordered United Airlines to “make necessary improvements” to their overbooking policy after a passenger was dragged off an airplane to make room for airline staff.
In a letter to United CEO Oscar Munoz, Schumer, D-N.Y., Minority Whip Dick Durbin, D-Ill., and 19 other Democrats also demanded United provide more information about their overbooking policy as well Sunday’s incident, in which police dragged a bloodied passenger down the airplane aisle and were captured on video.
“Consumer trust and confidence are critical to ensure this industry continues to thrive and we hope United Airlines will work diligently to immediately address this incident and make necessary improvements to ensure it does not occur again,” the senators wrote.
Among the questions sent by the senators: How many times in the past year has United removed a passenger that has already boarded a plane due to overbooking?
The senators also ask when a passenger is provided a written statement describing their rights, and whether there were “alternative flight or ground transportation options,” for the flight crew who needed the already filled seats.
No Republican signed onto the letter. Democrats hinted at new legislation, however, pointing to a $1,350 federal cap on compensating bumped passengers.
“Does the $1,350 federal cap serve any benefit to customers?” senators asked in the letter.
The Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee sent letters to both Munoz and Chicago O’Hare’s Aviation Department Commissioner Ginger S. Evans later Tuesday asking for additional information about the incident and how the airline plans to improve its practices.
Committee Chairman John Thune; ranking member Bill Nelson; Subcommittee on Aviation Operations, Safety, and Security Chairman Roy Blunt; and subcommittee ranking member Maria Cantwell signed both letters.
The senators have asked Evans about the standard operating procedure for this kind of incident, what airline personnel told law enforcement was the reason for removing him, and if the passenger ever took physical action that threatened others and could have warranted the physical takedown.
Munoz was asked these questions and additional ones, including why employees on the flight were not redirected to a nearby airport to make paying passengers the priority.
