No slip can be tolerated in mid-air

The government and flight experts must put their heads together to come up with effective preventive measures.

An airplane with 200 passengers and crew onboard went into panic from a sudden opening of the emergency door in mid-air. The bizarre and terrifying incident that could have been a fatal accident occurred on an Asiana Airlines flight before landing at Daegu International Airport after leaving Jeju on May 26.

The plane was readying to land 213 meters (700 feet) above the ground. The passenger seated next to the emergency exit suddenly pulled the lever, bringing in a gush of noise and wind into the cabin and sending passengers into panic.

The plane fortunately landed safely, however with the door wide-open. Twelve passengers with breathing difficulty were taken to the hospital. Onboard was 60 elementary and secondary school athletes and their trainers from Jeju headed for the National Junior Sports Festival held in Ulsan. It is thankful that no casualties occurred from the incident.

The accident raises awareness on the loopholes related to flight emergency exit management. Exit opening by a passenger in the row either by accident or on purpose cannot be stopped. Airliners have strict requirements in allowing passengers to sit in the exit row. Only those meeting physical and language fluency requirements who agree to cooperate with the crew in an emergency situation can be seated in the row.

But airliners cannot fully check up on the mental state of the passengers beforehand or the sincerity behind their consent. The 30-something passenger arrested for his dangerous behavior said he opened the exit because he felt suffocated and wanted to get out fast. The court granted an arrest warrant for the man. Under the aviation security act, a person who mishandles entry and exit doors and other equipment on the plane can face up to 10 years in prison.

Preventative actions are more important than punishment. Airliners that were forced to be grounded during the pandemic must thoroughly inspect their readiness against any type of contingency. According to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport, more than 55 million passengers used international and domestic flights last year. Outbound passenger numbers will surge this year amid the normalization of international routes. Asiana Airlines decided not to sell the seats in the exit row, but that does not fundamentally solve the problem. Airliners with the same plane type must be ready against such a danger.

The land and transport ministry held a security meeting with airliners and airport authorities after the accident to order stricter exit door management. But that alone cannot relieve the anxieties of passengers. The government and flight experts must put their heads together to come up with effective preventive measures. No slip can be tolerated in mid-air.