The two 0fficers caught dragging a doctor from a United Airlines flight earlier this year no longer work for the airline, according to officials.
via NYDN:
The Chicago Department of Aviation fired two officers — one of them an Aviation Security Sergeant — and a third officer resigned for their role in booting Dr. David Dao from a United Airlines plane at O’Hare International Airport in Chicago back in April, NBC News reported.
Another officer was handed a five-day suspension — later shortened to two following an appeal — for their involvement in the incident, the footage of which almost immediately went viral.
Dao refused to leave the Kentucky-bound flight after being told by officials that his seat was needed for a crew member.
Cell phone video of the incident shows the doctor being dragged through the plane’s aisle by a group of security officers while nearby passengers express confusion and disgust.
United Airlines CEO Oscar Munoz issued a public apology following the viral incident and initially said he “never” considered firing anyone over the violent ejection.
“The incident that took place aboard Flight 3411 has been a humbling experience and I take full responsibility,” he said at the time. “This will prove to be a watershed moment for our company, and we are more determined than ever to put our customers at the center of everything we do.
In his report, Chicago’s Inspector General Joseph Ferguson said the “excessive force” caused Dao to lose two teeth, sustain a concussion and break his nose.
He added that the security guard who forced Dao from the flight broke department policy as he “escalated a non-threatening situation into a physically violent one,” according to the report released Tuesday.
What’s more, Ferguson said two of the officers “deliberately removed material facts from their reports” in a bid to cover for each other.
Dao and the airline reached “an amicable settlement” in April — the amount of which has yet to be disclosed.
The aviation department also confirmed it was reviewing its policies and procedures. They expect the process to be complete by the first quarter of next year.
We wonder what took them so long to be fired…
