Forcing passengers from overbooked flights not tolerated in Canada: Transport minister

OTTAWA – Transport Minister Marc Garneau has issued a warning to Canadian airlines that forcibly removing passengers from overbooked airplanes will not be tolerated.

Garneau has written to the heads of all of Canada’s passenger airlines to express his dismay at the saga of United Airlines passenger David Dao.

READ MORE: United Airlines passenger suffered concussion, broken nose and lost teeth: lawyer

WATCH: Man forcibly removed from an overbooked United Airlines flight sparks outrage

1:02 Man forced out of seat and dragged down aisle on overbooked United flight

He says forcibly removing people from aircraft simply because the flight is overbooked should never happen in Canada.

Dao, 69, was dragged off a United flight in Chicago on Sunday after he refused to leave his seat to accommodate airline crew members.

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READ MORE: United Airlines CEO apologizes for ‘horrific’ removal of passenger from flight

Dao suffered a concussion, a broken nose and two lost teeth when three aviation security officers dragged him off the plane, banging his head on armrests, against his will.

Garneau says he will to introduce a passenger bill of rights later this spring to address issues such as compensating passengers who are bumped from flights or end up with lost or damaged luggage.