“Are we going to just continue to be treated like cattle — bullied, rude treatment?” asked Mr. Demetrio, who placed the blame for his client’s injuries on a “culture of disrespect” at United Airlines
and overly aggressive tactics from Chicago aviation police officers.
United Airlines Passenger May Need Surgery, Lawyer Says -
By MITCH SMITHAPRIL 13, 2017
CHICAGO — In an hourlong news conference that touched on race, policing
and airline manners, a lawyer for the passenger dragged off a United flight on Sunday listed his client’s injuries: a broken nose, a concussion, two knocked-out teeth and sinus problems that may require reconstructive surgery.
“We have committed to our customers and our employees that we are going to fix what’s broken so this never happens again.”
Those assurances have done little to quell the outrage, visible in the phalanx of news cameras from around the world
that assembled Thursday to hear from Mr. Demetrio and Crystal Dao Pepper, one of Dr. Dao’s five children.
Mr. Demetrio said he thought the company’s apology had been “staged,”
and said he was not aware of any attempts by United officials to contact Dr. Dao.
“For a long time, airlines, United in particular, have bullied us,” the lawyer, Thomas A. Demetrio, said Thursday in downtown Chicago.
