Two Cases of Emergency Exit Manipulation Reported in Two Months
Korean Air to Take Strong Action Including Civil Lawsuits and Denial of Boarding
Korean Air announced on the 15th that it will take strong action against passengers who manipulate or attempt to manipulate aircraft emergency exits.
On the afternoon of May 26, 2023, after departing from Jeju Airport and landing at Daegu Airport with the emergency exit door open, a flight attendant on an Asiana Airlines aircraft is seen installing a safety bar on the door and spreading both arms to block it. Photo by Yonhap News
On December 4, on a flight from Incheon to Sydney, a passenger manipulated the emergency exit door handle shortly after takeoff. When a flight attendant immediately intervened, the passenger responded, "I was just waiting and touched it. I just did it. It was a joke."
On November 16, on a flight from Incheon to Xi'an, another passenger manipulated the emergency exit door during the flight and claimed to have mistaken it for the restroom.
Since the 2023 Asiana Airlines emergency exit opening incident, which posed a significant threat to flight safety and became a social issue, cases of passengers manipulating emergency exits have continued to occur. According to Korean Air, there have been 14 cases of manipulating or attempting to manipulate emergency exits in the past two years.
Manipulating or attempting to manipulate an aircraft's emergency exit door is a clear violation of the law, as it interferes with flight operations and seriously endangers the safety of all passengers. Article 23, Paragraph 2 of the Aviation Security Act specifies that passengers must not operate doors, emergency exits, or equipment inside the aircraft.
The penalties are also severe. Article 46, Paragraph 1 of the Aviation Security Act stipulates that anyone who violates Article 23, Paragraph 2 by committing acts such as assault, threats, fraud, or manipulating doors, emergency exits, or equipment that compromise the security or operation of the aircraft is subject to imprisonment for up to 10 years.
In August 2024, a passenger on a flight departing from Jeju was sentenced to six months in prison, suspended for two years, and 80 hours of community service for opening the emergency exit lever cover and causing a delay of more than one hour in the aircraft's departure.
As a result, Korean Air plans to apply a zero-tolerance policy without exception to any manipulation or attempted manipulation of emergency exits during flight. In addition to criminal prosecution, the company will consider civil claims for actual damages and will refuse boarding to the passengers involved. A Korean Air representative stated, "We will actively respond to illegal acts that interfere with safe flight operations and contribute to establishing a culture of aviation safety."
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