Passenger In US Arrested For Attempting To Enter Cockpit, Open Exit Doors During Takeoff

A passenger on a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Los Angeles was arrested on Friday after attempting to enter the cockpit and open the exit doors, Fox News reported.

The incident happened on September 8 when United Airlines flight 1641 was preparing to depart from Chicago O'Hare International Airport for Los Angeles International Airport around 9 a.m. CT. 

Just then, a passenger got up from his seat and tried to open the flight deck and exit doors. He also tried to enter the cockpit but was unsuccesful in his attempts. 

The plane had to eventually return to the gate, where law enforcement officers were waiting to detain the passenger, the Federal Aviation Administration said. It remains unclear what the charges against the person are nor what happened to the delayed flight. 

Further details about the incident and the passenger's identity were not immediately available. Notably, the incident happened just days before the 22nd anniversary of the September 11 attacks, and less than a week after a technical glitch forced United to ground all flights temporarily.

Passenger entry into the cockpit during any stage of the flight is strictly prohibited. 

In a similar incident, an Air India pilot was suspended for three months for allowing a woman friend to enter and stay in the cockpit during a flight from Dubai to Delhi in February. The airline was also fined ₹ 30 lakh for violating safety norms.

Last year too, an American Airlines flight was forced to make an emergency landing after an "unruly passenger" attempted to enter the cockpit area and open a flight door. Because of him, flight 1775 from Los Angeles was diverted mid-journey to Kansas City.