Passenger Delays Southwest Airlines Flight, Stands On Wing

The question is, what was he trying to escape from? The plane hadn’t even taken off yet.

A man preparing to fly on a Southwest Airlines flight got off the plane through an escape hatch and stood on the wing before taking off on Sunday.

He jumped from the wing to the tarmac below and even tried to hijack an emergency vehicle before he was apprehended and arrested.

The man’s motivation for bolting the plane before it even left the gate area, or his identity, is unknown at this time.

The incident happened at Louis Armstrong Airport in New Orleans. The airliner was still parked and had yet to push back for takeoff. Witnesses said he was unrestrained long enough to actually walk on the wing before jumping down to the tarmac, where he was arrested.

Chaos erupts on Southwest flight after man opens emergency exit door.

The Atlanta-bound flight was preparing to depart from New Orleans on Sunday when the passenger opened the door and jumped onto the wing as the plane was still on the jetway. @victoroquendo reports. pic.twitter.com/FVXsUCNg3B

— Good Morning America (@GMA) November 28, 2023

He was taken to a local hospital to be evaluated. Surprisingly, no criminal charges have yet been levied against the man.

So, it remains a weird and mysterious story.

---

For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.

Topics From This Article to Explore