Asiana Airlines stops sale of some seats next to emergency exit after door-opening accident
SEOUL – South Korea’s Asiana Airlines has stopped selling some seats next to an emergency exit following an incident in which a passenger opened the door in mid-air, it said on Sunday.
The incident took place on Friday on an A321-200 plane, which was carrying nearly 200 passengers as it approached the runway at Daegu International Airport, about 240km south-east of Seoul.
The plane landed safely but several people were hospitalised. There were no serious injuries or damage.
“As a safety precaution, this measure will apply even if the flights are full,” Asiana added.
Starting on Sunday, these seats – 31A and 26A – on its 14 A321-200 jets would no longer be offered for sale, the carrier told AFP.
The man in Friday’s incident was detained by the authorities for allegedly breaking aviation security laws. He faces up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
The man, in his 30s, told Daegu police that he wanted to get out of the plane because he was feeling “suffocated” inside the cabin.
He also had been under stress from being unemployed, authorities said.
A passenger captured footage of the wind rushing in through the open door, with several people shouting in shock. - AFP
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