FLIGHT FROM HELL

Passenger Busted Over Attempts to Open Emergency Doors During Flight

The man was reported to be a Jordanian government official.

A passenger has been charged with endangering the safety of an aircraft and assaulting a member of the cabin crew after attempting to open emergency doors during a flight. Shadi Taiseer Alsaaydeh tried to open the rear emergency doors on an AirAsia X flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, to Sydney, Australia, on Saturday. The 46-year-old, reported to be a Jordanian government official, was escorted to a seat in the middle of the aircraft where he allegedly attempted to open a second set of emergency doors. Staff and passengers sought to restrain Alsaaydeh leading to a scuffle in which he allegedly choked one of the cabin crew. Australian Federal Police officers met the plane on arrival at Sydney Airport and arrested Alsaaydeh. He was charged in Parramatta Local Court on Sunday with two counts of endangering the aircraft and one count of assault—each offence carrying a maximum sentence of 10 years. The police commander at the airport, Davina Copelin, said: “The actions of this man could have had tragic consequences, and passengers and airplane staff shouldn’t have to put up with unruly, violent, or dangerous behaviour on flights.”