Delta Passenger Arrested After Opening Plane Door And Triggering Exit Slide

The plane was reportedly waiting to taxi into position for takeoff at the time.
|

A Delta Air Lines passenger was arrested for opening an airplane exit door while it was preparing to take off from Los Angeles International Airport, authorities said.

The passenger allegedly opened the door, activating the emergency slide, on Delta Flight 1714 bound for Seattle on Saturday morning. The plane was stopped at the time, waiting to taxi into position for takeoff, according to CNN

Delta said in a statement that the flight “returned to the gate due to an unruly passenger.”

“The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff ahead of being arrested by local law enforcement,” the airline said, according to a statement provided to CBS News. 

Other passengers were reportedly accommodated on a different aircraft after the incident.

Airport police notified the FBI about the matter, Los Angeles Airport Police Capt. Karla Rodriguez said. It’s not clear whether the passenger, who has not been publicly identified, faces charges.

Another passenger on the flight, Gillian Sheldon, told NBC Los Angeles the man was clearly “agitated, or nervous or anxious or freaked out about something.”

Our 2024 Coverage Needs You

As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.

Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.

to keep our news free for all.

Support HuffPost