A man allegedly tried to open an exit door on a flight.
An open door and a midair flight is not a good combination. A 23-year-old man named Alexander Michael Herrera is currently in police custody. He is facing a potential charge of interfering with a flight crew.
The suspect was a passenger on an Alaska Airlines flight and he allegedly tried to open a door as the plane was approaching the Portland International Airport. Nearly 140 other travelers were on the aircraft at the time of the incident.
According to the flight crew, Herrera made some strange statements before he got out of his seat and attempted to pry open the emergency exit. The incident took place 10 minutes prior to the scheduled landing. A struggle ensued and authorities along with other passengers were able to detain the suspect temporarily with shoelaces and seat belt extenders.
An Alaska Airlines spokesperson noted that all emergency exits have locks which prevent anyone from opening the doors while in flight.
On top of locking mechanisms, the cabin pressure basically seals the door shut naturally.
