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Southwest to Stop Overbooking as United Uproar Echoes

  • ‘That’s one of the pain points,’ CEO Kelly tells analysts
  • United pushes maximum payout for giving up seat to $10,000
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Southwest Airlines Co. said it would stop overbooking flights, after the forcible removal of a United Airlines passenger from a packed plane sparked worldwide outrage.

Overbooking is tentatively set to end May 8, Southwest said Thursday. That would be about a month after a 69-year-old United customer was dragged from a jet by airport police for refusing to surrender his seat -- an incident that left the carrier’s image in tatters when videos of the episode circulated on social media.