Man tries to open plane door on American Airlines Flight 1219 to Chicago.
The FAA says American Airlines Flight 1219 returned safely to Albuquerque International Sunport Airport around 2:40 p.m. local time after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.
Man detained after passengers say he tried to open plane door during flight
A harrowing incident unfolded aboard an American Airlines flight, prompting an emergency landing in New Mexico, after a disruptive passenger reportedly attempted to open an emergency exit door.
Officials at Albuquerque International Sunport disclosed that Flight 1219 bound for Chicago was compelled to return to the airport shortly after departure on February 20, 2024, citing “a disturbance in the cabin involving a disruptive customer.”
According to accounts from passengers interviewed by Albuquerque TV station KOAT, including Emma Ritz, the individual in question made a perilous attempt to open an emergency door while the aircraft was in flight.
Ritz recounted, “He was sitting at the emergency exit and he cracked open the window that was protecting the handle. He ripped down the handle where it exposed some of the emergency exit and all the wind came rushing down.”
In a remarkable display of courage, six other passengers on board took swift action, wrestling the unruly man to the ground and restraining him in the aisle. They secured him using duct tape on his feet and applied flex cuffs until the flight reached its conclusion.
Describing the scene, Ritz told KOAT, “The guy was screaming ‘I want to get out’ when he was restrained.”
Upon landing safely at Sunport, the disruptive passenger was taken into custody by local law enforcement, as confirmed by witnesses among the relieved passengers.