Teen Jumps From Emergency Exit Of Plane After Landing In San Francisco

That’s one illegal and dangerous way to exit a plane: A teenager flying from Panama City to San Francisco International Airport on Copa Airlines ditched the traditional deplaning method of waiting for others to exit through the front door and instead opened an over-wing emergency door, slid down the wing of the plane, and jumped to the tarmac.

NBC Bay Area reports that the 17-year-old boy, who was traveling alone, pulled the stunt just minutes after the plane landed at SFO on Tuesday afternoon.

Once the teen was on the ground, a nearby construction crew was able to hold him until police arrived and the passenger was arrested.

A spokesperson for the airport says that the teen — who was not injured in the incident — appeared to be in emotional distress during the flight and that his actions in leaving the plane were so quick, that other passengers didn’t have time to react.

Witnesses agreed, noting that they were shocked when he jumped out of the door.

“It was as if he was, like, flying out, like, it was really fast,” one woman told NBC Bay Area.

A spokesperson for Copa Airlines says a crew member for the quickly blocked the door and the plane made its way to the gate where other passengers exited normally.

The airport rep notes that the indecent did not impact other flights or close the runway.

The teen isn’t the only unruly flyer  — or employee — to go for the wrong exit door:

June 2017 — A Southwest Airlines flight was diverted after a passenger tried to open the exit door in mid-air.

Nov. 2016 — United Airlines passenger in Houston opened the plane’s door and hopped out while the plane taxied.

Sept. 2016 — A Kentucky man was banned from flying on commercial airlines last year after he got into an altercation that ended with him trying to exit from an open door that wasn’t connected to the jet bridge.

April 2016 — A United Airlines flight attendant deployed a plane’s slide after it had landed at the same airport, rode it down, and walked away from her job.

Nov. 2015 — An intoxicated British Airways passenger tried to pry open the door mid-flight.

Sept. 2015 — A KLM Airlines passenger apparently thought the airplane’s door was the bathroom and tried to open it at 30,000 feet.

Sept. 2014 — A Virgin America passenger reportedly masturbated in flight and then went for the exit door.

Aug. 2010 — JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater became infamous after he cursed out a passenger and then used the plane’s emergency slide to exit the plane and run away.

by Ashlee Kieler via Consumerist