by Donald Wood
Last updated: 7:45 AM ET, Sun October 18, 2026
A United Airlines flight from Seattle to Newark Liberty
International Airport temporarily descended toward Chicago after a 69-year-old
passenger became trapped inside an aircraft bathroom due to a malfunctioning
door.
According to AirLive.net, United Flight 1900 departed
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport on October 13 aboard a Boeing 737 MAX 8
and was about 2.5 hours into the flight to New Jersey when the incident
occurred.
While cruising at 35,000 feet over Minnesota, crew members
discovered the woman couldn’t exit the rear lavatory. Flight attendants
attempted to open the jammed door using standard procedures, but the latch
remained stuck.
After around 15 minutes of trying to free the woman from the
loo, including attempts to pry the door open with onboard tools, the captain
contacted air traffic control and began preparing to divert the aircraft to
Chicago O’Hare International Airport.
The plane began descending toward Chicago, reaching 27,000
feet as air traffic controllers cleared it for an emergency approach. However,
flight attendants freed the passenger during the descent, allowing the crew to
cancel plans for an emergency landing. The aircraft subsequently climbed back
to 37,000 feet and resumed its original route to Newark.
The United flight landed safely at Newark Liberty
International Airport about four and a half hours after departing Seattle,
where medical personnel waited at the gate to evaluate the passenger, who was
reported to be in stable condition after the incident.
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