No, Airplane Windows Don’t Open, That’s The Emergency Exit
A man wanted some fresh air while on an airplane, so he jiggled the “latch” below the window to “open it” up.
By DAVID on May 3, 2018
A man was detained for about 15 days after he opened the emergency exit on an airplane. He din’t realize it was an emergency exit though. Let me explain.
We’ve all probably been on a plane at least a couple times. They can be compact, uncomfortable, and stuffy. Especially the bargain-brand airlines. One guy felt like the airplane was a bit too stuffy, and he wanted some fresh air. He saw a latch under one of the windows, and thought that it would allow him to crack a window open for some fresh air. Like it was his Honda Pilot or something. Anyway, that latch was actually the emergency exit handle. Yeah, bad news. He was fined about $11,000 and detained for 15 days for “unauthorized removal of aviation facilities.”
Nobody was hurt, thankfully. The man says “Because it was so stuffy, so hot on the plane, I just pushed down on the window handle beside me. When the door fell out, I panicked.” The plane was already on the ground, so it’s not like it was at 36,000 feet or anything like that. Taxiing can be an annoying and long part of the flying process, especially when you just land after a long flight. Yes, it can be stuffy and uncomfortable – people are waking up and moving around and the plane heats up quickly. But remember – no, airplane windows do not open. And yes, the man was instructed about the emergency exits before the flight. Probably just a lapse in judgement. See some more info on the story here.
