Canadian Tourist in Thailand Arrested for Attempting to Open Plane Door

A Canadian tourist attempted to open the emergency door of a Thai Airways flight bound for Bangkok, ThaiPBS said this week.

Concerns have been raised about passenger safety following the incident at Chiang Mai Airport in Thailand which caused chaos among passengers and activated the inflatable slide, preventing the aircraft from taking off. Passenger Ananya Tiangtae described the scene as chaotic and wondered what could have happened if the plane had been airborne. Authorities quickly intervened and removed the unruly passenger from the aircraft.

To ensure safety, the plane returned to the terminal for inspections, causing disruptions to other flights. Fortunately, after thorough checks, the aircraft was deemed safe for departure, ensuring the well-being of all passengers and crew. ThaiPBS reported that the Canadian tourist was taken into custody at a local police station. According to his lawyer Jirawat Yarnkiatpakdee, the tourist admitted to opening the door out of paranoia about people following him.

“He admitted that he opened the door, the reason was people were coming after him … from his behaviour, he was likely hallucinating,” the tourist’s lawyer, Jirawat Yarnkiatpakdee said.

Instances of passengers attempting to open plane doors mid-flight have occurred in various incidents, often involving drunk individuals. In 2015, a passenger on a Hainan Airlines flight to Mongolia made such an attempt as the aircraft was preparing to land. Similarly, in June, an Air Europa flight had to return to its origin after a passenger tried to open the emergency exit. More recently, Chloe Haines faced legal consequences for assaulting flight attendants who intervened to prevent her from opening a plane door during a flight. Notably, alcohol consumption was a common factor in these incidents.

Despite the alarming nature of these events, it’s important to note that the risk posed by attempts to open plane doors mid-flight is minimal. Despite passengers’ actions, the design of aircraft doors and the pressurized cabin make it virtually impossible for them to be opened during flight. So while the behaviour of intoxicated passengers may cause disruptions and concern, the actual risk of a door being opened mid-flight is negligible.