Airline’s big change after man opened plane door mid-air
The airline which had a passenger open a plane door mid-air has made a huge change – with other carriers said to be also considering the move.
The South Korean airline which had a passenger terrifyingly open a plane door mid-air has stopped selling certain emergency exit row seats.
The Asiana Airlines flight was approaching Daegu International Airport on Friday, local time with about 200 passengers when the man opened the exit door at about 200m because he was feeling claustrophobic.
Video taken from inside the cabin of the A321-200 aircraft showed air blasting inside as passengers gripped on to their seats.
Following the incident, the 31A and 26A emergency exit seats on Asiana Airlines’ 14 A321-200 jets – 11 of which have 26A as their emergency seat while the other three have 31A – were removed from sale, the carrier told AFP.
“As a safety precaution, this measure will apply even if the flights are full,” the airline added.
According to Yonhap News Agency in South Korea, the 33-year-old man had been sitting in the emergency exit row when he opened the door.
The outlet also reported Asiana Airlines’ budget carrier Air Seoul halted the sale of the 22A seat on its A321-200 planes and the 27A seat on its A321-200s – while other carriers were considering a similar move.
The man, with the surname Lee, told police he had wanted to get out of the plane because he was feeling “suffocated” inside the cabin.
“I wanted to get off quickly,” he told reporters.
“I’m very sorry to the kids,” Mr Lee added, referring to at least 48 school students who were on board.
Authorities said he also had been under stress from being unemployed.
More Coverage
Police detained Mr Lee after the incident and a court later issued an arrest warrant for allegedly breaking aviation security laws, Yonhap reported. He could face up to 10 years in prison.
No one on-board is believed to have been injured but about a dozen passengers understood to have breathing difficulties were taken to hospital.
– with AFP
Qantas pilot named as crash victim
A Qantas pilot has been named as one of three victims who died in a horror mid-air crash in Sydney on Saturday.
Five injured in gas explosion at campground
Five people have been injured in a gas explosion at a campground in South Australia, with two of them in a serious condition.
Seaplane ditches into ocean at holiday hotspot
An investigation is underway after a seaplane carrying five people ditched into the ocean at a popular tourist hotspot.