The lawyer representing the man who was video recorded being dragged off a United Airlines flight is now representing the mother who was involved in another incident — this one aboard an American Airlines flight.
In an appearance on the Today show, Thomas Demetrio said he was contacted by the mother who was recorded on video crying after an incident on Friday, involving an American Airlines flight attendant.
The woman, who has not been identified, was boarding a flight at San Francisco International Airport when passengers allege a flight attendant "violently" took a stroller from her, almost striking her baby. The flight attendant was then confronted by another passenger in a heated exchange that was filmed by others on the flight.
The flight attendant has since been taken off duty by the airline. Officials at American have apologized saying the alleged confrontation does not reflect the company's values.
In the Today show interview Demetrio called the American incident a "microcosm" of the lack of respect that travelers receive from the airlines on which they fly. He said this most recent video, combined with the one of his client, David Dao, being dragged off a United flight at Chicago's O'Hare International Airport earlier this month show "why we need more fairness and dignity."
When asked whether a face-to-face apology from United CEO Oscar Munoz to his client, David Dao, would be helpful, Demetrio said such a gesture would "probably not go very far."
"Mr. Munoz had that opportunity to publicly apologize and then he didn't and then he called the doctor belligerent . . ." Demetrio said. It was only days after the incident that Munoz finally apologized, he added.
Demetrio is expected to file a lawsuit on behalf of Dao, a doctor from Kentucky, who he said suffered a concussion and broken nose and lost two teeth in the incident. It is not clear whether the American Airlines passenger also plans to sue the airline.