Alaska Airlines passenger opens emergency exit and climbs onto wing because she was ‘anxious’
The woman was sent to hospital for a medical evaluation after the incident
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Your support makes all the difference.An Alaska Airlinespassenger exited a plane that had just landed in a rather alternative fashion by climbing onto the wing after becoming “anxious” during disembarkation.
The incident occurred just after 5pm on Sunday, 22 December on Alaska Airlines flight 323 that had landed at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport.
While passengers were filing off the plane into the airport, a female passenger became “anxious” and opened the emergency exit over the wing, a spokesperson for the airport told Fox News.
The woman then climbed out onto the wing of the plane, prompting Port of Seattle fire services to respond and help her get off the aircraft.
The Port Police were also alerted and sent the passenger to hospital for evaluation.
The spokesperson added that there were no injuries and no other operations were impacted by the incident.
Alaska Airlines also confirmed the incident to the outlet, saying the “matter was safely resolved”.
"We are working with our crew and airport officials to gather more details about what may have transpired,” the airline spokesperson said.
“We thank our employees for their swift response and apologise for any inconvenience this may have caused our guests."
The incident comes a few months after a passenger was arrested at an Australian airport after he also left a stationary plane through the emergency exit and walked along the wing. The then climbed down a jet engine to the tarmac.
The incident occurred in August on a Jetstar Flight JQ507 that had arrived at Melbourne Airport from Sydney.
Australian Federal Police officers had been alerted by Jetstar staff and arrested the man for “alleged aggressive behaviour and breaching aircraft safety protocols”.
Similar incidents have occurred in the past, including a passenger on a United Airlines flight who walked onto the aircraft’s wing at Chicago O’Hare airport in 2022, leaving fellow passengers in shock.
In 2020, a woman opened the emergency exit and climbed out onto the wing when she landed in Kyiv, Ukraine, to cool down after complaining of being too hot. The woman was blacklisted from Ukraine International Airlines for her actions.
The Independent has contacted Alaska Airlines and the Port of Seattle for comment.
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