The action was taken after a passenger opened an emergency exit door mid-air, causing shock and panic on board.
South Korea’s Asiana Airlines has stopped selling some emergency exit row seats after a passenger opened the emergency exit door mid-air and panicked on board.
The incident occurred on an A321-200 carrying about 200 passengers as it approached the runway at Daegu International Airport, about 240 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of Seoul. The plane landed safely, but several passengers were hospitalized. There were no major injuries or damage.
The airline told AFP news agency on Sunday that it would stop selling emergency exit seats (31A and 26A) on its 14 A321-200 aircraft. “As a safety measure, this measure applies even if the plane is full,” he added.
However, it is unclear how this measure will prevent passengers seated elsewhere on the plane from attempting to open the emergency doors.
A man in his 30s was arrested by Daegu authorities on suspicion of violating the Aviation Security Law. He could face up to 10 years in prison if convicted.
South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported on Saturday that the man told Daegu police that he had recently lost his job and was under great stress and felt suffocated and wanted to get out early so he opened the door. .
A Daegu police detective said, “The flight time felt longer than expected, and the cabin felt stuffy.”
Video footage, apparently filmed by someone on board and posted to social media, showed a passenger’s hair being tossed around by the air rushing into the plane as the emergency door opened.
It is still unclear how Lee was able to open the emergency door during the flight.
Former Korean Air cabin safety officer Jin Seong-hyun said the incident was unprecedented to his knowledge, although there have been cases of passengers opening emergency exits without permission while the plane was on the ground. rice field.
A South Korean transport ministry official said the air pressure inside and outside the plane is similar, so emergency exits could be opened at or near the ground.