Asiana Airlines, headquartered in Seoul, South Korea, suspended sales of some exit row seats after an incident in which a passenger opened an emergency exit door mid-flight, sending other travelers into a state of terror.
Emergency Exit Row Seats Currently Unavailable
Last week, a man in his 30s was arrested upon landing in Daegu, South Korea, when he opened the door while the plane was approximately 200 meters (700 feet) in the air.
Nearly 200 people were on board the A321-200 aircraft when it approached the runway at Daegu International Airport, located roughly 240 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of Seoul.
Several people on board needed medical attention even after the plane made a safe landing. No major property was lost or damaged.
On Sunday, May 28, the airline announced to the AFP news agency that it would no longer sell the 31A and 26A seats in the emergency escape rows of its 14 A321-200 planes, Aljazeera reported. The step, the company stressed, is a safety precaution that would be implemented even if flight capacity has been reached.
Nevertheless, it is not apparent how this would prevent other passengers from trying to unlock the emergency door from their seats.
Previously, an official from South Korea's transport ministry claimed that, because of the identical pressure inside and outside the cabin, it was feasible to activate emergency exits at or near ground level.
South Korean Court Orders Arrest
According to The Guardian, a South Korean court issued an arrest order for this passenger who opened an emergency door in mid-air.
The Daegu district court issued the warrant after finding probable cause to indict him on counts of breaching the Aviation Security Act and finding that he posed a flight risk. The warrant permits authorities to keep him in detention for a lengthier period of time, as reported by Yonhap news agency. On Sunday, he went to court and was found not guilty of any charges.
As is customary, authorities revealed only his last name, Lee.
Lee said he pushed the button to unlock the door so he could exit the aircraft as soon as possible.
On Sunday, as he was being led to a hearing in court, he reportedly told reporters, "I feel really sorry for the kids." He was referring to the students who were on the plane and were treated for respiratory difficulties after being brought to the hospital. A fire department spokesperson confirmed that after around two hours, they were all released.
