An “unruly passenger” has been detained after allegedly triggering an emergency slide by opening an exit door on a plane.
departing flight Los Angeles The international airport and Seattle-bound flights were still on the tarmac and gates were pushed open when the incident happened Saturday.
Passenger Gillian Shelton tweeted: “OMG. Just as my flight was leaving the gate at LAX, a man ran up from the back of the plane and opened the door.
“The flight attendant tried to stop him, but he opened the slide and jumped out.”
Ms. Shelton later told NBC Los Angeles that the passenger was “clearly agitated, or nervous, anxious, or scared of something.”
The man did not cooperate with staff and ignored orders, she alleges.
Ms Shelton added: “She [the flight attendant] Looked at him and said: ‘You need to get back to your seat’, he said: ‘What do I do now’, then turned and grabbed the door. “
The flight attendant told the man he couldn’t open the door, “then grabbed him and he opened the door within two seconds”, Ms Sheldon added.
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“Unruly passengers”
Delta confirmed an incident involving an “unruly passenger” and said the man was first detained by Delta staff before police arrived.
Los Angeles Airport Police Captain Carla Rodriguez also told NBC Los Angeles that the FBI had been notified.
Passengers were taken off the plane and transferred to another plane so they could continue their journey, she said.
Ms Rodriguez added that no arrests were made but the man “was taken to a local hospital for psychiatric evaluation”.