CHICAGO- A fellow passenger had to be subdued and restrained by other travelers on an American Airlines (AA) flight, identified as AA1219, from Albuquerque (ABQ) to Chicago (ORD).
The incident occurred just 30 minutes into the nearly three-hour journey on Tuesday, February 20th, when the man made an aggressive attempt to open the emergency exit door.
American Airlines Mid-Flight Door Incident
Six individuals reportedly intervened, wrestling the man to the aisle floor and subsequently securing him by duct-taping his legs and restraining him with flexi-cuffs.
The chaotic incident prompted several passengers to share their experiences on social media, with one traveler, The Wonton Don (@DonnieDoesWorld), recounting, “30 minutes after departing Albuquerque, I was shaken out of my Panda Express and Tequila-induced stupor by a man trying to open the airplane door 4 rows back aggressively.”
“One of the most frightening moments I’ve experienced,” shared Lay Z (@layzdubz), describing a sudden and intense “rush of wind” that caught everyone off guard when the individual opened the emergency exit door. As a response to the incident, the aircraft safely returned for an emergency landing in Albuquerque.
Video footage captured the scene as four law enforcement officers escorted the man from the plane to the tarmac, where he was handcuffed, highlighting the severity of the situation.
Official Response
According to a statement provided to The Independent by American Airlines, Flight 1219, traveling from Albuquerque (ABQ) to Chicago (ORD), had to return to ABQ shortly after takeoff due to a disturbance in the cabin involving a disruptive customer.
The airline confirmed that the flight landed safely, and local law enforcement met the aircraft upon arrival to address the situation.
This incident adds to a series of disruptions reported in airline cabins over the past year. In July, a Ryanair (FR) flight from Zadar to London Stansted experienced a similar occurrence, with passengers restraining a disruptive man attempting to open the door just before takeoff.
In September, at Agartala airport in northeastern India, a passenger was detained for allegedly trying to open an aircraft door.
The sequence of events led to the introduction of additional pre-takeoff alerts for South Korean travelers in November.
In accordance with new operating guidelines, airlines will now be mandated to caution passengers about the consequences of attempting to open aircraft doors, aiming to prevent any unauthorized access to emergency exits during the flight.
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