As United Airlines Stock Falls, CEO Apologies for 'Truly Horrific' Passenger Removal

Inside Edition
Updated

United CEO Oscar Munoz has issued another apology for the forceful removal of a passenger from one of his company’s planes that has resulted in the airline's tanking profile on the stock market.

Read: Passenger Dragged Off United Plane Identified; CEO 'Emphatically' Stands Behind Employees

On Tuesday, Munoz called the incident, which was recorded on cell phone video and posted for all the world to see, “truly horrific," adding that he "continues to be disturbed" by what happened.

He posted his message on Twitter with the headline: "I’m sorry. We will fix this."

The passenger, Dr. David Dao, 69, was knocked unconscious and dragged down an aisle after refusing to give up his seat for a United employee on the flight leaving Chicago bound for Louisville, Ky. 

"I want you to know that we take full responsibility and we will work to make it right," Munoz said.

The security officer seen dragging the doctor down the aisle has been suspended in the wake of the incident.

Munoz's apology comes as United saw its stock plunge four percent on Tuesday, resulting in the airline losing nearly $1 billion in total value, reports said.

Munoz’s new message came after he called the passenger in the video "disruptive and belligerent" in an email he sent to airline employees that was obtained by CNBC Monday.

In the letter, he praised the plane's crew for going "above and beyond."

Munoz said crew members "were left with no choice but to call Chicago Aviation Security Officers to assist in removing the customer from the flight.

"I emphatically stand behind all of you."

The email sparked another backlash against management.

"They need to view this as if this were a crash and you are going to see the survivors," Crisis Management expert Richard Lovick told Inside Edition. "You need to treat them the same way with that kind of care, not blame them."

Read: Just Plane Wrong: Uproar Erupts After Passenger Is Knocked Out and Dragged Off United Flight

As the company tries to fix the situation, Jimmy Kimmel found ways to make it a punchline on his show Monday night, creating a mock United ad where a crew member warns passengers.

"Give us a problem and we’ll drag your ass off the plane!" the brass knuckle-wielding staffer said.

Watch: Passenger Claims Cleavage Got Woman Booted From Florida-Bound Flight

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