Kathmandu, Oct 10: A passenger opened the emergency door on Buddha Air’s ATR plane today while flying back from Biratnagar to Janakpur.
According to Buddha Air Information Officer Dipendra Kumar Karna, Buddha Air flight number 505, which departed from Kathmandu to Janakpur this morning, was unable to land at Janakpur Airport due to poor visibility and instead landed at Biratnagar Airport.
Airline attendants provide detailed information to passengers about the use of emergency doors before the flight. These doors should only be opened in case of an emergency, as doing so can compromise flight safety.
After the weather conditions improved in Janakpur, the plane that was preparing to take off from Biratnagar was taxiing onto the runway when a passenger on board opened the emergency door. Following the incident, the crew disembarked the plane on the parking apron.
Buddha Air confirmed that the plane resumed regular flights after undergoing a technical inspection.
The passenger who jeopardized flight safety by engaging in such behavior have been handed over to airport security personnel.
In recent times, there have been incidents of passengers opening emergency doors on flights. Instances occurred on flights from Biratnagar to Kathmandu on October 2nd and from Nepalgunj to Kathmandu on October 7th. These actions have disrupted flight operations and impacted flight schedules.
Under the ‘Non-Military Aviation (Civil Aviation) Act, 2015 BS’, individuals who disrupt air travel can face penalties ranging from 1 to 3 years in prison, or even life imprisonment depending on the severity of the offense. Airlines have implemented additional measures to address passengers who inadvertently compromise flight safety. #BuddhaAir
