14 DAY TRIAL // A flight from Baltimore to Austin landed in Memphis on Monday, August 19, when a man tried to open the emergency exit doors and get off the plane.
My FOX Austin reports that the aircraft was flying over Little Rock, Arkansas, when a male passenger headed for the exit. Air Tran Flight 265 landed safely and nobody was injured.
The plane took off from Austin after the Memphis detour arrived at Austin Bergstrom International Airport with no other disruptions, My FOX Memphis adds.
The man was immobilized by military personnel on the plane and he was handed over to police upon landing, at roughly 8.30 p.m.
"It's the kind of thing you hear about and worry about and it was handled completely professionally and calmly," passenger Patty Solum describes.
"Everyone was really calm and in good spirits and understanding. Luckily there were military personnel on the plane and they were really accommodating. It could have been way worse but it wasn't that bad," passenger Tara Hamilton adds.
Southwest Airlines spokesman Brad Hawkins has detailed the incident for WREG.
"AirTran flight 265 from BWI I AUS safely diverted to MEM this evening. I also understand there was an unruly Customer among the 120 onboard (+ crew of 5)," he says in a statement sent by email.
Memphis Shelby County Airport Authority’s Vice President of Operations, John Geraud, states that the aircraft was checked after everyone got off the plane.
Officers have assessed that the man was not drinking or otherwise intoxicated. He was not acting unruly, either.
He did not announce his intentions and he was spotted by a flight attendant trying to unlock the door, which he did not manage to do.
The unnamed man who tried to get off the plane was interviewed by the FBI for two hours. However, no charges have been filed as of yet.