Current united airlines CEO Oscar Munoz will not be receiving a substantial promotion in 2018 as previously planned. Munoz is the current CEO and was slated to become chairman in 2018. However, in March 2017 United Airlines came under heavy fire from the media for the way they handled the forcible removal of a ticketed passenger.
Munoz supported his company's forcible removal of Dr. David Dao
After the incident in which Dr. Dao was forcibly removed from United Express Flight 3411 due to overbooking, Munoz stood by his company's actions. He even went so far as to criticize Dr.
Dao in a letter to his staff. In response to the growing outrage over the incident, Munoz issued a public apology of the issue. He then issued a second apology to try and quell the media frenzy though to little avail.
More incidents turn PR crisis into a disaster
Unfortunately for Mr. Munoz, in the weeks following the incident with Dr. Dao, other passengers have spoken out about their mistreatment by United. Journalist and former Miss Venezuela Carmen Maria Montiel claims to have also been treated horribly by staff during an United Airlines flight from Houston to Columbia in 2013. It started with her asking for a pillow in first class and ended with her being arrested and charged in federal court.
She was found not guilty and is now suing the airline herself for mental anguish and defamation.
Adding more insult to injury, days after the incident with Dr. Dao another couple was escorted off United Airlines flight 1737 to Costa Rica. Just like with Mrs. Montiel, the bride and groom were escorted off the plane by a US Marshall after a dispute with a flight attendant.
While this incident didn't end in violence as the one with Dr. Dao did, it left the couple confused and appalled by the way they were treated by United Airlines.
United's damage control only causes more criticism
In addition to the apologies released by Mr. Munoz, the airline has also stated that they will change their policy to be more accommodating to their customers.
Also, the raises and compensation packages of those in upper management, including Munoz, will now directly result from an increase in customer service.
Despite these tries at reassurance, the airline is still facing heavy controversy for the way that each of these incidents was handled. Munoz is especially under heavy fire for his statements in response to these incidents. It doesn't look like United Airlines or Oscar Munoz will be back in The Public's good graces anytime soon.
