A 29-year-old man opened the emergency exit and jumped from an Air Arabia flight that was taxiing after landing at Chennai airport early on Sunday, leading to the closure of the main runway and causing diversions and delays of subsequent flights.
Incident Details
The passenger, identified as Mohamed Sherif Mohamed Najumudeen, opened the emergency window and jumped from the aircraft as it was taxiing to the apron after landing from Sharjah at around 3:20 am. The pilot immediately alerted air traffic control, and the flight was disabled on the taxiway. CISF personnel chased and caught the passenger, who told them he felt uncomfortable and nauseated, which prompted him to open the emergency exit.
Flight Crew's Account
The crew of the flight, which carried 240 passengers, informed investigators that the man had twice complained of feeling like vomiting and requested to be seated near the emergency exit. Customs officials checked his baggage to see if he was carrying any contraband, but no illicit items were found.
Runway Closure and Flight Diversions
Airport authorities closed the main runway for an hour, from 3:23 am to 4:25 am. As a result, four arrivals and one departure were handled on the secondary runway. A British Airways flight that was scheduled to land in Chennai was diverted to Bengaluru to avoid potential contact between the wings of the two aircraft.
Legal and Safety Implications
Airport authorities questioned the man for three hours before handing him over to the city police, who stated they would register a case under the Aircraft Act for violating safety norms. A pilot from another airline commented anonymously that no passenger in their right mind would attempt to open an emergency window, as it is a punishable offence. He noted that in other countries, the individual would likely have been jailed, but Indian law tends to take a lenient stance on such issues. The pilot added that the flight crew has no control over such inadvertent acts other than stalling the flight.
This incident highlights the serious consequences of tampering with aircraft safety equipment, which can endanger passengers and disrupt airport operations.
