According to a $4, the airline needed room on the overbooked aircraft to reposition crew for another flight. But when it couldn't find enough volunteers, $4, the airline selected the man, who is a doctor, and several other passengers to deplane.
But the man allegedly refused and was dragged off by police.
"I apologize for having to re-accommodate those customers," CEO Oscar Munoz said in a statement $4 to the airlines' Twitter account.
Some people are now threatening to boycott the airline, using the hashtag #BoycottUnited.
Here's the statement:
Initial reactions to Munoz's response were negative.
Shame on $4 & its lame apology; by "re-accomodate" it means to bloody a passenger & drag them down an aisle: $4
- Emily C. (@emilycchiu) $4
Using "re-accomodate" to describe this abhorrent event is straight out of a dystopian future sci-fi nightmare. The CEO should resign. $4
- Eric Butler (@codebutler) $4
$4 I think your idea of "re-accomodate" paying passengers and the idea of the passengers themselves differ. Just a tad.
- karen munro (@BaileyPittipat) $4