Delta Passenger Opens Aircraft Emergency Exit on Seattle-Bound Flight on Taxiway, Deploying Evacuation Chute

Delta airliners at LAX
A passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight from Los Angeles to Seattle on Saturday opened an emergency exit while the plane was sitting still on a taxiway, activating the emergency slide.
Flight 1714 was preparing for departure, officials said, when the passenger opened the emergency exit and inflated the evacuartion slide and proceeded to slide down to the tarmac.  The passenger was detained by crewmembers and later “transported to a local hospital for mental evaluation.”
“Due to the circumstances, FBI has been notified” said Los Angeles Airport Police Captain Karla Rodriguez. “The aircraft was returned to a gate and passengers are in the process of being deplaned in order to be transported in another aircraft so that they can continue with their flight plans.”
The Boeing 737-800 aircraft pushed back from Gate 36 at Los Angeles International Airport three minutes early at 9:58 a.m. local time.  Passengers were transferred to another aircraft after the incident.
“Delta flight 1714 operating from Los Angeles to Seattle returned to the gate due to an unruly passenger,” the airline said in a statement. “The aircraft was holding to taxi for takeoff when the passenger exited the aircraft and was initially detained by Delta staff.”
“Customers are being reaccommodated on a new aircraft and we apologize for the inconvenience and delay in their travel plans,” the airline added.
The flight, using another aircraft, landed at 4:38 p.m. local time in Seattle, after a delay of 3 hours and 44 minutes due to the incident.
(Photo: Accura Media Group)