Author Subdues Passenger Attempting to Open Aircraft Door Mid-Flight

LONDON – A British thriller writer found herself in a real-life drama aboard a Ryanair flight landing at London Stansted Airport in September, intervening when a passenger attempted to open an emergency exit door during descent. The incident, which unfolded as the aircraft approached the runway, prompted a temporary suspension of the landing and a subsequent police investigation.

A Descent into Chaos

G.B. Rubin, author of historical mysteries including “Murder at Christmas: You Solve the Crime,” was returning from a literary festival in Italy when the disturbance erupted. Passengers began shouting as a large man, described as approximately 6ft 4in and powerfully built, broke through a group of people and lunged for one of the plane’s emergency exits. A second, smaller man, quickly identified as an acquaintance of the larger passenger, repeatedly yelled that it wasn’t an act of terrorism, attributing the behavior to a mental health crisis.

While aircraft doors are sealed shut at altitude due to internal pressure differences, they can be opened during descent as cabin pressure equalizes. Rubin, recognizing the potential danger – a compromised aircraft at 300 mph could have catastrophic consequences – reacted swiftly. “I feared that if he opened the exit, the plane would be hard to control,” she recounted. “We might have hit the ground faster than we were meant to.”

From Page to Action: A Passenger Steps In

A woman initially attempted to restrain the man, but was unable to do so. Rubin sprinted forward, delivering a shoulder barge to his chest, knocking him off balance. With the help of the smaller man and a third passenger, they managed to subdue him, holding him to the floor. The scene was chaotic, with passengers screaming and a flight attendant frantically communicating with the cockpit.

Rubin noted she wasn’t immediately convinced the man intended mass harm. “I thought that if he had wanted to kill us all, he would have gone about it a lot more methodically,” she said. However, she remained vigilant, checking for any potential coordinated attack targeting the flight deck. The aisle remained clear.

The struggle to restrain the man proved difficult. “The guy was struggling hard. I resorted to pinning him down with my shin on his testicles,” Rubin revealed. “He quietened down after that, and after a minute he politely asked me to move my leg.” Meanwhile, the man’s companion threatened to physically harm him if he didn’t calm down – a tactic Rubin acknowledged may not have been helpful.

A Bumpy Landing and Lingering Questions

As the situation unfolded, the pilot initiated a go-around, pulling the aircraft sharply upwards after beginning the landing approach. The flight attendant, visibly distressed, relayed the situation to the captain. Passengers braced themselves, some even grabbing onto the shirts of those restraining the man, creating a sense of shared tension.

After a ten-minute delay, the plane made a second, successful landing. Emergency services were on standby, and police took the man into custody. He was subsequently placed on a no-fly list. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), individuals on the No Fly List are prohibited from boarding commercial aircraft for security reasons.

The incident raises questions about airline protocols for dealing with passengers experiencing mental health crises. The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that one in eight people globally live with a mental disorder. In 2022, approximately 8.4% of the global population – 676 million people – were affected by anxiety disorders, highlighting the prevalence of these conditions and the need for increased awareness and support.

A Calm Reflection on a Chaotic Event

Despite the potential for tragedy, Rubin expressed a surprisingly calm perspective. “Honestly? I didn’t mind it one bit. I’ve taken many flights and they’re usually quite boring. This really livened things up,” she said. More profoundly, she expressed sympathy for the man experiencing a mental health episode. “Mostly, though, I felt sorry for a man having a mental health episode, even if he could have killed us all.”

Rubin also noted the lack of acknowledgement from Ryanair following the incident. “I’m still waiting for that,” she said, wryly suggesting a thank you might have been warranted considering the potential saving of 130 lives and an estimated £85 million aircraft.

The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges airlines and passengers face in navigating in-flight disturbances, particularly those stemming from mental health issues. It also highlights the courage of ordinary individuals, like G.B. Rubin, who are willing to step up in moments of crisis.

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“Murder at Christmas: You Solve the Crime” by G.B. Rubin is available now (Simon & Schuster, £16.99). To support independent journalism, purchase a copy at guardianbookshop.com.