WATCH: Fkd Footage Shows Passenger Violently Dragged Off Overbooked Flight

The Courier-Journal reports the incident occurred after the flight was overbooked.

United needed to make space for four of its staff members to travel to Louisville for work, and asked passengers to volunteer their seats on the flight in exchange for US $400 in cash, hotel accomodation, and an equivalent flight the next day.

When nobody volunteered, the offer was raised to US $800. Still, nobody left the plane, so staff said a “computer” would randomly select passengers to be taken off the flight. 

A couple was chosen via this process and left the plane of their own volition. The man in the video was the next to be selected. He refused to leave that flight, as the Courier-Journal reports he is a doctor who needed to see patients in Louisville the next morning. 

The man was told security would arrive to escort him off the plane, at which point he said he was calling his lawyer. A security guard arrived and spoke to the man, who didn’t move. A second guard arrived with much the same outcome. The events shown in the video occurred after the third guard arrived.

He was eventually allowed back on the plane, and the passenger who took the video says he was bloodied and bruised from the ordeal. The flight left two hours later than scheduled, as staff needed to “tidy up” the plane.

United CEO Oscar Munoz has issued a response to the incident, saying “I apologize for having to re-accommodate these passengers,” which is quite a gentle way of describing the events shown in the footage.