Passenger Attempts to Open Emergency Door on Flight to Chicago, Promptly Restrained

An American Airlines flight bound for Chicago’s O’Hare Airport was forced to return to Albuquerque, New Mexico, on Tuesday after a passenger attempted to open an emergency door mid-flight. The aircraft, a Boeing 737, landed safely at Albuquerque International Sunport around 2:40 p.m. following the crew’s alert of the onboard disturbance, as confirmed by the Federal Aviation Administration.

Eyewitnesses onboard shared their experiences on social media, capturing the tense moments when crew members and fellow passengers worked together to subdue the disruptive individual. One passenger, Emma Ritz, recounted to KOAT, an Albuquerque TV station, how the man attempted to access the plane’s emergency exit.

According to Ritz, “He was sitting at the emergency exit, and he cracked open the window that was protecting the handle. He then pulled down the handle, exposing part of the emergency exit, and suddenly all the wind rushed in.”

The situation escalated quickly, with six passengers stepping in to restrain the man. They held him in the aisle until flight attendants could apply duct tape to his ankles and secure his wrists with flex cuffs. Ritz described the man shouting, “I want to get out,” as he was being restrained.

Upon the flight’s return to Albuquerque, local police officers boarded the aircraft and detained the man, handing over the investigation to the FBI. As of now, neither the FBI nor Albuquerque police have disclosed details regarding the identity of the man or the nature of the charges he may face.

The FAA has also announced that it will be conducting its own investigation into the incident.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, chicago.suntimes.com