Flight Canceled As Passenger Mistook Emergency Door for Bathroom

Flight Canceled As Passenger Mistakenly Opened Emergency Door for Bathroom

On July 5th, a bizarre incident at Quzhou Airport in Zhejiang province led to the cancellation of a China Airlines flight after a passenger mistakenly opened the emergency exit door, triggering the deployment of the slide. According to the Quzhou Airport Public Security Bureau, this was the passenger's first time flying and they confused the emergency door for the bathroom door.

Mr. Cheng, a passenger on China Airlines flight CA2754 from Quzhou to Chengdu, shared his experience: "I never expected to encounter such an incident. The flight was originally scheduled for 8:45 PM but was delayed due to air traffic control issues. Around 9 PM, while the attendants were likely busy elsewhere, a passenger mistook the emergency exit for the restroom door."

Another passenger, Mr. Li, recounted, "During the chaos, some passengers were rearranging their luggage, and a suitcase fell and hit my head. I had to call for a flight attendant. Then, one passenger ran to the back and opened the emergency exit, and all of us ended up staying in a hotel. Today we received 400 yuan as compensation."

Mr. Cheng added, "When the emergency slide was deployed, there wasn't much noise, but the flight attendants were definitely startled. I heard one passenger burst into tears upon hearing about the potential compensation costs. After the incident, the crew announced further delays before finally deciding to cancel the flight. China Airlines arranged for us to stay in a hotel."

When asked, customer service at Quzhou Airport confirmed that the flight to Chengdu was cancelled due to an incident on the evening of July 4th, but the specifics would need to be confirmed with the airline. China Airlines staff indicated that the flight was cancelled due to a passenger's mistake, although they did not provide further details.

According to a report by Eastern Finance, the passenger's error in opening the emergency exit led to the flight's cancellation, and the involved passengers were accommodated in a hotel.

Mr. Chen, a veteran aviation expert, noted in an interview that incidents involving the accidental opening of emergency exits and deployment of slides are relatively common. "Emergency doors are designed to be opened quickly in an emergency, so they are easier to operate. Normally, the crew repeatedly reminds passengers not to tamper with them. However, accidental openings by passengers happen every year and are handled by alerting the authorities. Depending on the aircraft model, opening an emergency door can cost between 100,000 and 200,000 yuan in damages, and the aircraft may need to be grounded for several days for maintenance."

Under the People's Republic of China Public Security Administration Punishments Law and the Civil Aviation Safety Protection Regulations, unauthorized opening of an airplane's emergency exit can disrupt flight order and endanger safety, leading to severe consequences including criminal charges and civil liabilities. For instance, a passenger who mistakenly opened an emergency exit thinking it was the bathroom and caused the flight's cancellation could face administrative detention.

Passengers are urged to strictly adhere to safety regulations on flights to avoid actions that could endanger flight safety.

Source: 观察者网

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