Passenger Uses Emergency Slide When He Thinks He Is On Wrong Flight

By Bill Galluccio

February 26, 2018

A passenger aboard a United flight from Newark Airport in New Jersey to Tampa, Florida thought he was on the wrong plane and created his own exit. According to the New York Post, 25-year-old Troy Fattun got up from his seat, deployed the emergency slide on the airplane and jumped from the plane while it was parked at the gate. 

United spokeswoman Maggie Schmerin told The Post in a statement: “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.”

Authorities say Fattun was arrested and a passenger sent video footage of him being taken away by police to NBC News. Another passenger snapped a photo and posted it on Twitter.

Police took Fattun, who is a U.S. national from Micronesia, into custody as soon as he got to the bottom of the slide, but have not filed charges yet. They also said that despite his claims that he was on the wrong flight, Fattun had a ticket for the plane he was on.

The flight was delayed for hours, but the passengers eventually arrived at their destination in Tampa. 

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