Never in Canada, shocked minister says of United passenger scandal

OTTAWA: Shocked by footage of United Airlines forcibly removing a passenger from an overbooked flight, Canada's transport minister -- tasked with bringing in a passenger bill of rights -- vowed Tuesday to never let it happen in Canada.

"I was very upset. I saw the video. I was very disturbed by what happened. Certainly we want to make sure that it does not happen in Canada," Minister Marc Garneau said.



The Canadian government announced last November that it would introduce legislation to create a passenger bill of rights. It is expected to set out rules for flight changes, airline fees, and lost luggage.

Garneau said the bill would also tackle airline overbooking. The new regulations are to come into force in 2018, he said.

Videos taken on the United flight and posted to Twitter showed a man -- identified by US media as a doctor of Vietnamese descent who has lived in the US for decades -- being forcibly pulled screaming from his seat by three security personnel.

The incident occurred Sunday on a United Express flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky.