FILE PHOTO: A United Airline Airbus A320 aircraft lands at O'Hare International Airport in Chicago, Illinois, U.S., April 11, 2017. REUTERS/Kamil Krzaczynski/File Photo

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chicago Aviation Commissioner Ginger Evans apologized Thursday for city employees' forced removal of a United Airlines UAL.N passenger that prompted international condemnation.

Evans told a U.S. Senate Commerce subcommittee Thursday in written testimony that the April 9 removal of Dr. David Dao was “deeply saddening and personally offensive.” The department has suspended four in the incident and said neither the Chicago Police Department nor airport security officers will go on aircraft to deal with customer service matters including overbooking situations. United has said it will no longer call security to remove onboard passengers for overbooking issues.