Southwest Airlines passenger jumps out of emergency exit at Louisiana airport, cops say

A passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight jumped out the plane’s emergency exit onto the wing while the plane was grounded at a Louisiana airport, officials said.

The plane was set to fly from the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport to Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Nov. 26, WSB-TV reported.

As the plane sat at the gate, a passenger opened the emergency door of the plane and climbed out onto the wing shortly before 8 p.m., according to a news release from the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office.

The man then jumped down to the tarmac, where ground personnel held him until authorities arrived, deputies said.

A spokesperson for the New Orleans Aviation Board told McClatchy News the passenger was not authorized to deplane the aircraft.

The man was taken to a hospital for evaluation, the sheriff’s office said.

Deputies said the 38-year-old appeared to be experiencing a mental health crisis and has not been charged. He is believed to be from Atlanta.

The flight eventually departed for Atlanta, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines told McClatchy News in an email. It continued onto its final destination in Baltimore after the plane was swapped.

“We commend our flight and ground crews for their swift action and apologize to our Customers for their inconvenience,” Southwest said.

The investigation into the incident was turned over to federal authorities, according to Jefferson Parish deputies. The man’s identity has not been disclosed.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport is in Kenner, Louisiana, about 15 miles northwest of New Orleans.

This story was originally published November 27, 2023 at 1:33 PM with the headline "Southwest Airlines passenger jumps out of emergency exit at Louisiana airport, cops say."