Video incident may only hit United in short term

United Airlines Inc, the largest US carrier operating on routes between China and the United States, could see its business suffer in China in the short term, but the impact may not be significant, an expert said, even after a video showing a passenger being forcibly removed from a flight went viral.

Zou Jianjun, a professor of the department of economic management at the Civil Aviation Management Institute of China, said in China, whose market was not yet fully mature, price-sensitive consumers may care less about the reputation of a specific company.

"There could be some negative effect on United Airlines on its China-US routes, as some passengers may alter their booking choices, but it's hard to say if there will be any significant impact on its market share," Zou said.