Akasa Emergency Gate Opening Incident Halts Flight at Varanasi Airport, Passenger Held

Varanasi (India) – On Thursday, 7:55 pm at the Lal Bahadur Shastri International Airport in Varanasi, a passenger aboard Akasa Airlines Flight QP-1491 accidentally opened the handle of the emergency escape as the plane was preparing to take off. A Bengaluru-bound flight was immediately stopped, which caused a delay of one hour.

Ajay Twari, who was seated in seat 16A, near the emergency exit, confessed to having opened the cover of the emergency exit to understand the mechanism better. The pilot notified Air Traffic Control after his actions, which caused concern amongst passengers and crew. The aircraft was then moved from the runway back to the apron, and passengers deplaned in accordance with aviation security regulations.

Experts in aviation safety say that panic ensued as passengers and crew were unaware of the fact that the emergency exit must be activated with force. It cannot just happen by accident. The cover was replaced quickly by another crew member. Tiwari, however, was taken to Phulpur Police for questioning after a complaint was filed by Akasa’s Delhi office.

Ajay, a native of Sultanpur and employed in Tamil Nadu as a boom-lift operator, apologized during questioning and said that the mistake he made was due to his curiosity regarding how emergency exits worked. The man opened the emergency exit cover by accident without realizing the consequences of his action.

In collaboration with Varanasi Airport Security, the airline authorities expedited protocols in order to guarantee passenger safety. The flight was delayed by an hour after thorough inspections.

After boarding, other passengers became aware of Tiwari’s strange behaviour. They raised red flags after seeing him touch the emergency exit repeatedly. He was acting oddly, according to witnesses, which heightened the alertness of passengers and crew.

These safety measures are important, according to experts. Safety advisors explain that the emergency exit handle was designed specifically to avoid accidental openings. The handle is exposed when the cover is removed, and this could result in an unintentional opening, putting people’s lives at risk, especially during crucial moments such as take-off or landing.

Puneet Gupta, the airport director at Lal Bahadur Shastri Airport in New Delhi, said that Akasa Airlines has all relevant details on hand and addressed this matter according to aviation safety standards. The airport director clarified that the opening of the emergency exit is an intentional act and stressed the importance of strictly adhering to the in-flight safety instructions to avoid such incidents.

The management of Akasa Airlines praised their crews for their rapid response and explained the safety measures that were in place to avoid hazards. The airline urges passengers to be cautious and familiarize themselves with the safety protocol before flying.

These incidents highlight the importance of passengers being aware of in-flight security measures and following crew instructions for uninterrupted operations.