A woman who described herself as “claustrophobic” caused panic among passengers on an Air Seoul flight by opening an emergency exit during takeoff. The incident happened on flight RS902 from Gimpo International to Jeju Airport, with 202 passengers and seven crew members onboard. The woman’s actions led to the deployment of an evacuation slide, resulting in the cancellation of the flight.
Witnesses reported that the 30-year-old woman abruptly unbuckled her seatbelt, moved to the front of the plane, and forcefully opened the emergency exit, despite attempts by a flight attendant to intervene. The plane, which had just begun taxiing on the runway, was grounded at Jeju International Airport around 8:15 am following the incident.
Passengers on the flight described the chaotic scene, with one passenger named Mr. Kim stating that the woman claimed to be claustrophobic before opening the door. Another passenger, Mr. Lee, mentioned that her behavior seemed erratic, leading to confusion among passengers when the door opened.
Police arrested the woman for violating the Aviation Security Act. She explained to the authorities that she felt suffocated and claustrophobic, prompting her to open the door. The plane was delayed for over an hour before being towed, causing disruptions to Air Seoul’s flight schedule and affecting over 400 passengers.
An Air Seoul spokesperson assured affected passengers that alternative flight arrangements would be made according to company guidelines. The investigation into the incident is ongoing. In a separate incident earlier in the year, an airline in South Korea faced scrutiny after its staff members opened an emergency exit to take photos on a plane wing during a delay caused by snow at Cheongju International Airport.
Photography and videography are strictly prohibited at Cheongju Airport, a military facility, with potential legal consequences for offenders. The airline crew’s actions were captured on February 12 as they posed on the wing of a Boeing 737 bound for Jeju Island.