A first-time flyer sparked panic after opening an emergency exit door as she searched for a bathroom.
The shocking moment unfolded on a July 4th Air China flight headed to Chengdu. While the aircraft was waiting on the tarmac at Quzhou Airport, the unidentified rookie plane passenger unknowingly tugged on the emergency exit door, which deployed the evacuation slide. This startled the flight crew and passengers, sparking chaos onboard.
Despite the incident occurring before takeoff, all passengers were forced off the place. Furthermore, the flight was canceled. The airline housed the evacuees inside nearby hotels and offered them each $55 USD. Officials also took the woman to a hotel, where she was questioned at length. Opening an emergency exit door can result in jail time, hefty fines, or both. The South China Morning Post reports that opening the door could cost up to $28,000 USD. One witness claims the woman became visibly upset after learning she would be responsible for this lump sum.
“The female passenger was in tears when she heard that she would need to pay damages,” one fellow passenger, identified as Cheng, told the New York Post.
China typically has strict rules regarding plane evacuation doors. One notable example is the 2017 12-day jail sentence of a man who unsealed the side hatch. At this time, it doesn’t appear the latest wrongdoer will be detained.
