Passenger Tries to Open Exit Doors Mid-Flight; Houston-Bound Plane From Tokyo Diverted to Seattle

A flight from Tokyo to Houston was diverted to Seattle after a passenger attempted to open two of the aircraft’s exit doors mid-flight.

A flight from Tokyo to Houston was diverted to Seattle on Saturday after a passenger attempted to open two of the aircraft’s exit doors mid-flight, CNN reported on Sunday, citing the FBI and the Port of Seattle.

The incident was reported aboard All Nippon Airways Flight 114, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner travelling from Japan’s Haneda Airport to George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston. The plane had been airborne for roughly 10 hours when it landed safely at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport around 4 a.m. local time, according to FlightAware.

“Port of Seattle Police were called due to reports of a passenger who attempted to open exit doors during the flight,” Port spokesperson Chris Guizlo told CNN.

The FBI confirmed to the publication that crew members and passengers restrained the individual, who was then taken to a hospital for medical evaluation. No injuries were reported.

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“Our report shows the flight diverted due to a passenger disturbance,” a Federal Aviation Administration spokesperson told CNN.

Another passenger became ‘unruly’ on tarmac after landing in Seattle

After landing in Seattle, a second passenger became unruly on the tarmac, reportedly frustrated by the diversion and punched a bathroom door, according to the FBI. Guizlo added that the individual was “removed for unruly behaviour before the plane departed SEA for Houston”, emphasising that “this was unrelated and the passenger was deplaned without incident.”

No charges have been filed in connection with the incidents, the report stated, citing the FBI.

The flight continued to Houston and landed without further incident just before 1 p.m. local time.

According to the report, the FAA, which enforces a zero-tolerance policy, reported over 2,000 unruly passenger incidents in 2023, down from a peak of nearly 6,000 in 2021, but still significant. In 2023, the agency initiated more than 400 enforcement actions and issued $7.5 million in fines, as reported by CNN.

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