7 shocking incidents that have happened on flights

In a shocking incident, a woman, allegedly under the influence of meth, attempted to open the emergency door mid-flight over the Pacific Ocean on November 23, 2023.

The 26-year-old was caught and charged by Incheon International Airport Police after her efforts on a Korean Air flight bound for Incheon.

Witnesses noted her escalating anxiety around 10 hours into the 15-hour journey from New York. After multiple attempts, flight attendants restrained her.

After investigation, it was confirmed that there was meth in her system and authorities are investigating potential breaches of the Aviation Security Act and Narcotics Control Act.

In the past couple of years, there has been an increase in disruptive behaviour during flights, and this has become a serious issue.

Here we list a few more bizarre incidents that happened on airplanes.

In October 2023, during a flight from Panama City to Tampa, Copa Airlines received a tip that there was some suspicious object in the airplane (particularly in the airplane restroom). This made everyone anxious and in a hurry, the plane landed back in Panama where the passengers were asked to leave the plane for a thorough checking. After the passengers got down, the authorities conducted a search for potential explosives. However, the extensive search revealed that the ‘suspected’ item was not a bomb or an explosive but merely an adult diaper which was bundled up in a way that it was impossible to figure out what it was!

In October 2022, during a flight from Istanbul to Jakarta, a Turkish Airlines flight had to make an emergency landing because of a drunk man’s aggressive behavior. The man was later identified as Muhammad John Jaiz Boudewijn. While during the flight he was politely asked by the cabin crew to settle down, this just made him even more angry. A video circulating online showed him assaulting a flight attendant and trying to attack another while the passengers only sat and watched, terribly shaken from the violence. This caused panic and alarm, and the flight made an emergency landing.

Another incident, earlier this year, was of a 30-year-old passenger from Kanpur, who was arrested after attempting to open an emergency exit mid-flight on an Indigo Airlines journey from Delhi to Bengaluru. The man was later identified as Pratheek and it was stated that he was drunk on the flight, leading to his bizarre behavior. Police filed a case under relevant sections of the IPC and the Aircraft Act.

In another very bizarre event, a man travelling in Air India, on the way to New York, peed on an elderly co-passenger. According to witness accounts, the man had a little too many drinks even before lunch was served. When others tried to flag the issue about his behaviour, the crew members did not take any action. It was only after he peed on an elderly woman, in his intoxicated state, that the crew members took cognizance of the issue.

The man was arrested and was imposed with a flying ban whereas the ignorant crew members was de-rostered. Plus, the DGCA, imposed on Air India.

In another very bizarre event, a flight from Sudan was forced to conduct an emergency landing at Khartoum International Airport due to a cat creating a ruckus by attacking the pilot within the cockpit. This incident unfolded soon after the aircraft departed from the airport but nobody could understand how the cat got inside, in the first place! Despite the unexpected intrusion of the cat attacking the pilots, all passengers were safely removed following the landing.

In September 2023, a Delta flight heading from Atlanta to Barcelona had to reverse its route because of a passenger suffering from diarrhea. The flight left on time but turned back while flying over central Virginia due to the passenger’s health condition causing an issue. The Airbus had to land back in two hours and the passengers suffered a delay of about eight hours.