A Korean Air passenger was restrained by cabin crew after attempting to open the emergency exit door during a flight from Bangkok to Seoul on Friday (8 November). The incident occurred on flight KE658 about an hour into the nearly five-and-a-half-hour journey.
The unidentified man reportedly refused to move from a crew-only jumpseat and reached for the emergency exit door handle. When crew intervened, he exhibited “non-compliant behaviour, including verbal aggression and threatening movements,” according to the airline.
Fellow passenger Jackson Lee captured the scene on video and posted it on TikTok. The footage shows several flight attendants jumping in to restrain the man as the Airbus A330-300 flew at 37,000 feet with 284 passengers on board.
The crew took “appropriate restraint measures” under the captain’s authority and relocated the passenger to a secure area to de-escalate the situation. The flight landed safely at Incheon International Airport, where local police detained the man pending investigation.
Korean Air said in a statement: “The incident was managed in accordance with Korean Air’s security protocols, with our primary focus on ensuring passenger safety and maintaining operational integrity. Korean Air takes all incidents affecting aviation safety with utmost seriousness. We will fully cooperate with relevant authorities in their investigation.”
This incident follows a similar event on a Copa Airlines flight from Brazil to Panama last Tuesday (5 November), where a passenger attempted to open the emergency door and was subdued by other passengers.
