Air Arabia flight halted after passenger opens exit door mid-taxi in Chennai

Tension arose briefly at Chennai International Airport on Sunday morning after a passenger opened an emergency exit door while the aircraft was taxiing. The incident occurred soon after an Air Arabia flight from Sharjah, carrying 231 passengers, landed and was moving towards the terminal. The pilot stopped the aircraft immediately and alerted security agencies.

According to initial information, a 34-year-old male passenger from Pudukkottai opened one of the emergency exit doors while the aircraft was on the taxiway, the path that connects the runway to the terminal. The sudden action led to a halt in aircraft movement and triggered an emergency response.

Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel, along with bomb disposal experts and armed officers, reached the spot after being alerted. Security teams boarded the aircraft and took control of the situation.


The pilot filed a formal complaint with the authorities following the incident. The passenger was arrested on the spot and taken into custody for further investigation.

Officials said the man is being questioned, and his mental condition is also under assessment.

with PTI inputs