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United Making Changes After Passenger Forcibly Removed From Flight

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – There are more changes for passengers who fly United Airlines.

The changes come less than three weeks after a passenger was removed from a flight heading to Louisville, from Chicago. The airline has now released its report of the incident.

United Airlines calls it a review and action report. The airline takes full responsibility for the incident that happened on April 9 and details the changes and goals going forward.

Included in the list of policy changes, United says it will not require customers already seated on a plane to give up their seat involuntarily, unless safety or security is at risk. The airline also says it will reduce its amount of overbooking and increase compensation for passengers who volunteer to give up their flights. The compensation could be up to $10,000.

"They'll start low. They'll start you off low and then if they don't get anyone to volunteer, then they'll increase the amount. So, people should hold out for top tier prices," Sheronda Williams said.

Passengers at Pittsburgh International Airport said they appreciate hearing about the changes, but they're waiting to see it in action.

"They see what they did wrong, terribly, and they need to change their policies and hopefully they can make it a lot better than what it is," Pat Barnes said.

"It's late, right? It's already happened. It's easy to say I'm sorry and we're going to change, but in reality they've already done something that was pretty drastic," Dan Gaffney said.

United Airlines said the passenger who was forcibly removed, was taken off the plane, because a flight crew needed to get to Louisville that night.

The airline now says it will ensure that crews are booked onto a flight at least 60 minutes before departing.

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