What started as a routine weather delay at Hartsfield-Jackson on Monday night turned into a full-blown tarmac drama when a passenger on a Delta Air Lines flight to Chicago reportedly pulled an emergency exit and tried to bail out before takeoff. The move forced the jet to abandon its place on the taxiway, head back to the gate and wait while authorities stepped in. Fellow passengers said the man was shouting and throwing his bags before crew members and police got the situation under control. No injuries were reported, and after a long delay the flight eventually made it out.
According to a federal criminal complaint cited by WSB-TV, the passenger has been identified as Thomas Ryan. The filing says Ryan repeatedly stood up, yelled and threatened to open a cabin door while the plane sat on the tarmac. Investigators allege he grabbed and turned the door handle and threw his bags, though the emergency slide never deployed. The aircraft then taxied back to the gate, where officers were waiting to meet the flight, WSB-TV reports.
Video of the chaos did what these things usually do and quickly landed online. A clip posted to Reddit's r/PublicFreakout appears to show a man clutching the door handle as other passengers scream, according to AOL. Flight-tracking data cited by AOL show the jet spent more than five hours on the ground, leaving its gate around 7:38 p.m. and not taking off until about 12:44 a.m. Delta told reporters the marathon delay was caused by thunderstorms at Chicago O'Hare, and the Federal Aviation Administration is reviewing the incident, AOL added.
Captain's call and crew response
ABC News obtained audio of the captain's call to law enforcement, and he did not sugarcoat the situation. "We have a situation with a passenger. It's not going to be pretty," he can be heard saying, per WSB-TV. Flight attendants kept everyone seated while the crew coordinated with ground security, and the plane returned to the gate so officers could board and remove the unruly traveler, the outlet reports. Passengers later said the crew stayed calm and professional despite the very not-routine turn their night had taken.
Legal exposure
Federal law does not take kindly to mid-flight or pre-flight meltdowns that interfere with crews. Under 49 U.S.C. § 46504, it is a crime to assault, intimidate or otherwise interfere with a crewmember's duties, an offense that can carry fines and prison time, as outlined by Justia. Prosecutors typically weigh the criminal complaint alongside findings from federal aviation officials when deciding whether to bring formal charges. Authorities say the incident remains under review.
Delta told passengers the airline has "zero tolerance for unruly behavior" and apologized for the lengthy delay, according to AOL. Authorities have taken the passenger into custody, and the matter remains under review by law enforcement and federal aviation officials.
