KTLA

Delta passenger detained at LAX after opening emergency door as plane prepared for takeoff 

Cameron Kiszla and Josh DuBose

A Delta airlines plane is seen at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on January 11, 2023. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)

A passenger on a Delta Airlines flight headed to Seattle from Los Angeles International Airport was detained by police after allegedly opening the emergency as the plane prepped for takeoff Saturday.

As the aircraft pushed away from the gate at around 10 a.m., the unidentified passenger opened the exit door, causing the emergency slide to deploy, Capt. Karla Rodriguez of the Los Angeles Airport Police told KTLA in a statement.

“Airport Police responded and detained the passenger for further investigation. Due to the circumstances, FBI has been notified,” Rodriguez added.

Video posted to Twitter showed the unidentified passenger in handcuffs outside the plane as he was being detained by police.

A still image from video posted to Twitter on Mar. 25, 2023, of an unidentified passenger who police said opened an exit door on a Delta flight from LAX to Seattle as the plane was preparing for takeoff, causing the emergency slide to deploy. (KTLA)
A still image from video posted to Twitter on Mar. 25, 2023, of an unidentified passenger who police said opened an exit door on a Delta flight from LAX to Seattle as the plane was preparing for takeoff, causing the emergency slide to deploy. (KTLA)

After the door was opened, the plane returned to the gate, and the other passengers are “in the process of being deplaned” so they can continue their journey to their intended destination, Seattle, Rodriguez said.

Anisha Banerjee contributed to this report.