There is a great article about it here:
http://www.liftable.com/carolynfultz/video-passenger-dragged-plane-disturbs-world-wife-pilot-writes-didnt-see/
and here:
https://archive.is/blU5e
with this being the money shot:
“United Airlines has been heavily criticized for their actions, but this blogger wanted to make it clear that United Airlines did not drag out the man. United was required, by law, to contact federal aviation security when Dr. Dao ran back into the plane after being escorted out, since such an act is classified as a threat to security. As she states, running into “a secured, federally restricted area” may not have been the wisest choice “because, you know, that just happens to be breaking a major federal Homeland Security law.””
and this being the most important factor:
[..]this was a must fly, a positive space situation. In layman terms, it means that a crew must be flown to an airport to man a flight in order to avoid cancellation of said flight due to crew unavailability. This is a federal DOT regulation, not an airline one. The airlines are required to do so to avoid disruption of air traffic.
Yep. Looks like the Airlines may have to go charter when flights are booked or have all passengers agree to a 5,000 dollar compensation.
This rule of beating people will not stand.
The article you quote from a couple of days ago contains the flawed reasoning of the early reports on this incident.
“United was required, by law, to contact federal aviation security when Dr. Dao ran back into the plane after being escorted out....”
Huh? They contacted the local Chicago airport police (not federal aviation security) that tazed him, manhandled him causing a concussion, broken nose, and loss of two front teeth, then left him unconscious in the breezeway where he awoke alone and in a dazed state, then going back to the plane. No excuse for the illegal actions in the first place.
Regarding the “must fly... man a flight in order to avoid cancellation” didn’t require the already boarded passengers leave their seat. Tough luck, United, they had to get their people there. Lots of ways they could do that, increasing the incentive for a passenger to leave being the simplest, most obvious option. Bringing in untrained local “police” not trusted to even carry a firearm was not the wisest choice, which they now recognize in their announcement that they won’t do so again.
This is garbage. The man ran back after being concussed. All the beat down action was taken before he ran back in. Do your homework don’t just buy into the blog of a “pilot’s wife”.