United Airlines passengers forcibly removed and injured. Anger in China and Vietnam (Video)
The Chicago-Louisville flight was overbooked. An elderly man removed from his seat and dragged along the corridor. Beijing harshly criticizes the airline. The People's Daily: "Who dares to fly with this airline?". CEO: "horrible accident."
Washington (AsiaNews / Agencies) - Anger and indignation have exploded on Chinese social and Vietnamese media after the release of a video in which a passenger on an United Airlines Flight was forcibly removed from his seat because of overbooking.
The facts date back to the evening of last April 9. The video posted online shows security officers removing the elderly passenger from his seat by the window and dragging him along the corridor. The images show him, in a clear state of agitation, blood dripping from his face.
The US media reported that the passenger was David Dao, a 69-year-old doctor. The first reports indicated that the man was a Chinese-American. Later, it emerged that the man was Vietnamese and had lived in Kentucky for 20 years. The Chicago-Louisville flight was overbooked. United Airlines has therefore selected a few passengers and asked them to leave the aircraft.
Millions of Chinese were quick to express their anger at the airline on the micro-blogging site Sina Weibo. By yesterday morning, the video had logged more than 600 million views on the Chinese equivalent to Twitter. One user commented: "Look at the way they manhandled the poor Chinese man. He doesn't look young either. It must have been downright humiliating to have been dragged off in full view of everyone, kicking and screaming. " Another user said: "Active racial profiling clearly took place here. And America wonders why people attack it for not having respect for social movements?"
Many shared stories of unpleasant experiences with the airline on Weibo, WeChat while some called for a boycott of United Airlines. " "The United Airlines should pay a price for this. Not only because the person who was removed from the flight is of Chinese descent, anyone should have the right to refuse such unreasonable treatment. This is dignity," said on user.
In Vietnam, social media users echoed the Chinese anger. "You cannot beat someone up then just say I'm sorry," wrote Yeu La Phai Thuong on Dai Ky Nguyen website. "The man is old so the airlines don't appear at all human. They are also so greedy." "Incidents happen everywhere, let's hope that the airline comes up with a fair solution and compensates the man," wrote Mai on Tuoi Tre forum. Another commentator, Thanh, asked: "Oh, is this what they call American civilisation??"
China's state media have also harshly criticized United Airlines. The People's Daily, the official organ of the Party, said: "Who dares to fly with that airline, which should support the values of taking care of people, but trampled rights and interests of customers?". Oscar Munoz, CEO of United Airlines, yesterday issued a statement of apology for the treatment received by the passenger, calling the incident "really horrible."
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19/06/2007
