Dangerous and downright stupid reasons to open emergency exits

The Chinglish phrase "No zuo no die" has been included in the online slang phrase book Urban Dictionary, meaning, if you don't do stupid things, they won't come back and bite you on the backside. This can't be wrong when referred to those who risk their lives, and those of many others, by triggering the emergency facilities of airliners.

How much must passengers pay in fine for such dangerous mistakes?  92,000 yuan for triggering a Boeing 320's emergency slide; 190,000 yuan for a Boeing 330's slide and 150,000 yuan for its safety door. 250,000 yuan for a Boeing 777's slide - big fat red envelops for airlines that come together with legal responsibilities.

Here are some ridiculous reasons people have triggered them.

Workers at Beijing Capital International Airport practice using an inflatable emergency slide during an emergency drill, Sept 16, 2005. [Photo/CFP]

In need of relief

A woman on a Sichuan Airlines flight from Sanya to Chongqing confused the toilet and an emergency exit and set off the emergency door and sides before takeoff, forcing 130 passengers to disembark and wait four hours before the plane got going again, on March 30, 2012.

Her behavior forced the pilot to stop the plane on the runway. The woman, in her 40s, said her legs shook when hearing the big bang as the emergency exit opened. Some 19 passengers changed their flights afraid of more problems on the plane.

The emergency exit door is open while the Xiamen Airline flight MF8453 waits to take off. [Photo/ weibo.com/139807180]

Breath of fresh air

Funny how a first-time airline passenger opened the emergency exit to get some fresh air just as the plane was about to take-off, in Hangzhou, Dec 14 last year.

The report quoted the passenger as telling cabin crew later that he "just wanted some fresh air...... and hope the flight won't be delayed for too long".

Xiamen Airline didn't demand any punishment as he was a first-time passenger and did not cause a delay or any other direct loss to the airline. Read the story

 

Just being curious

What happens when the emergency door is opened? A male passenger who wondered about this pressed the red handle after landing, and ended up with five days of detention.

The farce took place on Dec 16, 2013 on a China Express flight.  

 

Crew members on China Eastern flight MU2036 attempt to placate passengers angry about a delayed take off at Kunming Changshui International Airport, Jan 10. Photo by witness on Sina Weibo.

Protest flight delay

Upset by a flight delay, a Chinese passenger opened emergency exit doors in protest as the plane was taxiing, forcing it to abort its takeoff and landing him in jail.

Angry passengers complained about the delay caused by icy conditions and a lack of ventilation, and a man surnamed Zhou opened three emergency exits to prevent the plane taking off, forcing it to return to the gate, on a China Eastern flight on Jan 11. Read the story