Southwest Airlines passenger opens plane’s emergency door, jumps onto wing

KENNER, La. — A passenger on board a Southwest Airlines flight out of New Orleans opened the emergency exit on the plane and left the aircraft via the plane’s wing on Sunday, police said.

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The plane was still on the skyway and was not moving at the time of the incident, NBC News reported.

Witnesses said that the man opened the over-wing door, jumped from the wing and then ran across the tarmac to a service truck and tried to drive away.

Law enforcement caught the man and, according to the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, transported him to a local hospital to be evaluated.

Southwest released a statement to WWL, saying, “We commend our flight and ground crews for their swift action and apologize to our customers for their inconvenience.”

The company confirmed an incident concerning“a Southwest Airlines passenger’s unauthorized deplaning of the aircraft,” NBC News reported.

No charges have been filed against the man, who has not been identified, but the sheriff’s office said that the case has been given to federal authorities, WWL reported.

The flight was delayed but then left Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport for Atlanta with its final destination as Baltimore, NBC News reported.