Aviation officer gives his version of United flight removal
CHICAGO — The physician who was dragged off a United Airlines flight in Chicago this month was verbally and physically abusive, and flailing his arms before he lost his balance and struck his mouth on an armrest, according to the aviation officer who pulled the man out of his seat.
The Chicago Department of Aviation on Monday released the officer’s report of the incident, in response to a Freedom of Information Act request by The Associated Press. The report reveals for the first time the officer’s version of what happened aboard the plane at O’Hare International Airport on April 9.
The incident — which was videotaped by other passengers and widely shared online — became an international embarrassment for both the airlines and the city’s aviation department.
The report also includes the name of the officer, James Long, who authorities initially declined to identify.