Delta Air Lines was forced to discontinue the regular New York – Atlanta flight 462 after two passengers opened the cabin door and fled down an emergency slide while the aircraft was preparing for a takeoff.
The incident occurred when Delta’s Airbus A321 jet was taxiing for a takeoff from LaGuardia Airport (LGA), New York on December 21, 2020. Other passengers told local media that one of the passengers, who boarded the plane with a female companion and a dog, started acting unruly after the jet began moving. The man stood up during the taxiing and refused to carry out a flight attendant’s order to sit down, complaining of post-traumatic stress disorder.
The flight attendant asked the man to take a seat once more, but the unruly passenger did not follow the cabin crew’s order and walked toward the front galley of the plane instead. A few seconds later the aircraft came to an abrupt halt and the flight crew alerted the passengers that the man decided to open the exit and an emergency slide inflated.
According to local media, after an emergency slide was activated, two passengers, the man and his female companion, took their dog and slid out of the aircraft. The couple reportedly was taken to custody.
After returning to the gate, the maintenance crew evaluated the jet and it was returned to service. Meanwhile, other passengers were placed on alternative flights.