Spicejet passenger tries to open emergency exit door mid-flight
Passenger was ‘abusive and aggressive,’ says airline
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Your support makes all the difference.A passenger aboard a Spicejet flight tried to open the emergency exit at altitude.
The unnamed traveller displayed “abusive and aggressive” behaviour during the service from Delhi to Varanasi in India on 27 March, reports Tribune India.
After the attempt to open the cabin door, the passenger was calmed down and consigned to their seat for the remainder of the journey.
The pilot requested priority landing at Varanasi airport and the aircraft touched down just before 4pm local time without further incident.
“On 27 March, a passenger traveling on SpiceJet flight SG-2003 (Delhi-Varanasi) tried to open the emergency door of the aircraft in an abusive and aggressive state while the aircraft was airborne,” said Spicejet in a statement seen by Tribune India.
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“The aircraft landed safely in Varanasi where the passenger was handed over to the local police by CISF and SpiceJet’s security staff.”
It follows a similar incident last week that took place in the US.
A Spirit Airlines flight was forced to divert after a passenger allegedly tried to open the cabin door mid-flight.
The service had departed from Cleveland, Ohio, on 24 March and was destined for Los Angeles, California, when the pilot made the decision to land in Denver, Colorado.
No one was injured in the incident, according to the carrier.
“Spirit Airlines flight 185 diverted to Denver on the way to Los Angeles due to a passenger who appeared to attempt to open an exit door,” Spirit Airlines told local news outlet WJW-TV in a statement.
“Safety is our number one priority at Spirit Airlines.
“Law enforcement met the aircraft in Denver and took the passenger into custody.
“We thank the crew members and guests who assisted for handling this situation quickly prior to arrival.”
The airline was also keen to stress that those onboard were not in any real danger, as opening the emergency exit doors while an aircraft is in flight is “impossible”.
“It is important to note that opening a door inflight is impossible due to air pressure inside the cabin pinning the door against its frame with force stronger than any person could ever overcome,” read the statement.
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