Troy Fattun was arrested after allegedly deploying the emergency chute on a United Airlines aircraft and sliding down to the tarmac. (Port Authority of New York and New Jersey)
A passenger on a United Airlines flight from New Jersey to Tampa employed extreme measures to get off before takeoff on the evening of Feb. 25.
Flight 1640 from New Jersey’s Newark Liberty International Airport was still boarding through the forward entrance—a passenger started talking to the flight crew, CBS News reported.
According to news reports, the passenger then bolted for the back of the plane and pulled open an emergency exit. When the door opened the inflatable emergency slide deployed, and the panicked passenger slide to the tarmac.
The passenger was arrested almost immediately by Port Authority police, who told NBC News that the passenger was yelling about being on the wrong flight.
“At about 10 p.m. Port Authority Police responded to a report of a disorderly subject at Newark Airport Terminal C,” the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey (PANYNJ) public information officer told Fox News. “[The suspect] was arrested by Port Authority police.”
Troy Fattun was arrested after allegedly deploying the emergency chute on a United Airlines aircraft and sliding down to the tarmac. (Port Authority of New York)
Officials identified the fleeing flyer as 25-year-old Troy Fattun, from Micronesia. Fattun did indeed have a ticket for flight 1640, CBS reported.
The plane was evacuated after the incident, according to passenger John O’Malley, who videotaped the police as they escorted Fattun away.
Fattun is being held in Essex County Jail. It has not yet been decided what charges he will be facing.
“While Flight 1640 was parked at the gate at Newark Liberty International Airport, a passenger opened the emergency exit door and departed the aircraft using the slide,” United Airlines spokeswoman Maggie Schmerin told NBC New York.
The plane was delayed for about five hours because of the incident, but later did make the flight to Tampa without incident, arriving just after 3 a.m. on the Feb. 26.
That same evening another United flight leaving Newark suffered a minor mishap, NBC reported. Flight 1551 to Oregon, blew a tire on takeoff but was able to land safely at Portland International Airport.
“Flight 1551 from Newark Liberty International Airport to Portland International Airport landed safely following a tire blowout during takeoff,” a United spokesperson said. “Customers will deplane normally.”
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