A Southwest Airlines flight devolved into chaos before takeoff Sunday when a man used the aircraft’s emergency hatch to climb out on the wing.
Passengers were urged off of the flight after the man, who has not been identified, misused the escape system.
The man walked down the plane’s wing and reached the tarmac of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, according to WWL-TV.
The incident occurred before the plane had departed from the terminal area of the flight line.
One passenger who disembarked from the plane after the incident recorded the man being apprehended on the tarmac from the terminal window.
Panicked passengers expressed fear that the misbehaving passenger may have been involved in an act of terrorism — a concern that would be ultimately dispelled.
One traveler even suggested the man had left something on the plane before his sudden, unauthorized departure.
WARNING: The following video contains language that some viewers may find offensive.
A Passenger has been arrested after escaping through emergency hatch on Southwest Airlines flight WN3172 operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8 at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) earlier today.
🎥 ZED#flight #passenger #aviation pic.twitter.com/Kbcf0XjQV3
— FL360aero (@fl360aero) November 27, 2023
Another passenger also recorded a video of the man on the tarmac.
A man was arrested at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport after allegedly escaping through the emergency hatch and ran out onto the tarmac Sunday night.
Source: Laquisha Martin pic.twitter.com/vbHsVj8FbE
— KWTX News 10 (@kwtx) November 27, 2023
The man was later hospitalized, according to CNBC.
“He was caught on the tarmac, and transported to a local hospital for evaluation,” the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office said of the situation.
Southwest Airlines thanked airport employees and first responders for placing the situation under control.
“We commend our flight and ground crews for their swift action and apologize to our customers for their inconvenience,” the airline said in a statement.
The flight ultimately departed the New Orleans airport after a delay, stopping at Atlanta and then Baltimore.
No criminal charges have been filed in connection to the airport incident.
