Have you heard viral news about airline passengers opening the plane’s emergency door before landing? This incident suddenly made many people wonder, goosebumps and various other feelings about why this incident could happen. However, related to the incident, a critical question arose from many parties, can an airplane’s emergency door be opened while it’s flying?
Previously, for those who don’t know, the incident where the Asiana Airlines plane’s emergency door opened before landing occurred a few days ago. The incident occurred in the middle of the flight before the plane landed in Daegu, South Korea. The plane door itself is opened at an altitude of 213 meters above sea level, about two to three minutes before landing.
Reported by a number of local and international media, the male passenger in his 30s opened the plane door because he wanted to get out as soon as possible. Because of this incident, at least 12 people had to be treated by health workers, and the man who opened the door was detained. The plane itself managed to make a safe landing.
Related to this incident, questions arose from many parties regarding the possibility of opening an emergency door during a flight. TripZilla Indonesia collect a number of information about it, ranging from the possibility of opening the door to the possible consequences.
Can airplane emergency doors be opened during flight?
The answer to the above question is NO. According to information compiled from the flight site askthepilot.com, the emergency door cannot be opened in the middle of a flight. This happens because there is cabin pressure, which makes it difficult for passengers to open it in the middle of a flight. However, when the plane is not flying and is on the ground, the emergency door can be opened with a number of steps and notifications. This notification itself will be received by the pilot and flight crew when someone tries to open the emergency door.
In the case of Asiana Airlines, as explained by Alvin Lie, an aviation observer to Kompas, the emergency door can be opened because the air pressure in the cabin is adjusted to the air pressure outside the cabin. This condition allows for emergency doors to be opened, and that is what happened in the case of Asiana Airlines.
The emergency exit for each aircraft is different
Each aircraft manufacturer produces aircraft with their own character. This also applies to making emergency exits, adjusted to the type and size of the aircraft itself. For ATR type aircraft, the emergency door is easier to open than for large body type aircraft.
In addition, the structure of the emergency exit is also different. For some ATR type aircraft, for example, the emergency door does not have a cover for the handle. Meanwhile, for Airbus or Boeing types, the emergency door structure has a special design, which requires strength to be able to open it. This door also usually has a cover on the handle.
Then, how and when can this emergency door be opened?
Most of the emergency exits opened inward. However, there are also emergency doors that can be opened by pulling them up to the ceiling or opening them to the outside. This difference occurs because each aircraft manufacturer has its own standard.
The opening of the emergency door was also accompanied by the appearance of a notification received by the pilot and flight crew. The opening of this door also usually activates the emergency slide on the plane.
Regarding when the emergency door can be opened, passengers can only carry out opening activities if they receive instructions and instructions from the crew and pilot. If this is done without orders from the crew or pilot, sanctions in the form of fines, imprisonment and a ban on boarding the plane for a certain period are acceptable.
In Indonesia, the act of opening an emergency door without instructions from the crew or pilot is punishable by imprisonment for 2 years or a fine of 500 million rupiah. These sanctions are regulated in Article 54 and Article 412 of Law Number 1 of 2009 concerning Aviation.
Also read: Tips to avoid pickpocketing while on vacation outside and inside the country
So, don’t mess with the emergency doors on the plane, okay!
Image preview credits: Ramses Cabello – Unsplash
