A passenger was arrested Saturday after activating a Delta plane’s emergency slide and jumping out the parachute. according to CNN. The flight would fly from Los Angeles to Seattle.
“The aircraft was stalled for taxiing for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta personnel before being arrested by local police,” Delta said in a statement. per CBS.
“Customers are being re-accommodated on a new aircraft and we apologize for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans,” the airline added.
The arrested person has not been identified.
The FAA is also investigating the sliding incident, according to CBS. Los Angeles Airport Police further said the incident happened around 10 a.m
“Due to the circumstances, the FBI has been notified,” said Los Angeles Airport Police Captain Karla Rodriguez.
The incident is part of an ongoing trend of recent flight-related bad behavior, including violence against flight attendants.
The pandemic seems to have intensified things. In 2021, the FAA investigated 1,081 aircraft incidents, an increase of 494% compared to the average number of incidents investigated in previous years.
There has also been a burst of close calls, where planes have come close together.
Jennifer Homendy, president of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), called a rise in safety incidents “worrying.”
