Passenger Opens Emergency Door on JetBlue Flight Amid Argument with Girlfriend

A Puerto Rican passenger caused chaos aboard JetBlue Flight 161 at Logan Airport on Tuesday night by opening the plane's emergency door while it was taxiing. The man, identified as Morales Torres, allegedly triggered the emergency slide and attempted to jump out of the aircraft following an argument with his girlfriend.

Incident Details

• What Happened:

  • Torres was reportedly arguing with his girlfriend when he abruptly opened the emergency exit door.
  • Co-passengers quickly intervened and restrained him until law enforcement arrived.
  • The emergency slide was deployed during the incident, requiring the flight to be swapped for another aircraft.

• Eyewitness Account:

  • Passenger Fred Wynn described the scene: "Boyfriend and girlfriend were arguing. He got up, walked down the aisle, and ripped the emergency door off. An FBI agent tackled him, and state police arrived shortly after."

Response and Legal Action

• Arrest:

  • Massachusetts State Police detained Torres at 7:25 pm local time.
  • He was released on bail posted by his parents, with conditions to live with them and restrict travel to Massachusetts for court appearances.

• Attorney's Statement:

  • Torres’ lawyer, Robert Carmel-Montes, emphasized the need for support rather than punishment:
    • "This is a highly unfortunate circumstance. It’s more of a medical issue than a criminal one. He’s a young man with a future ahead of him."

Airline and FAA Actions

• JetBlue confirmed the flight continued to its destination, San Juan, Puerto Rico, after passengers were transferred to another aircraft.
• The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has launched an investigation into the incident.

Similar Incident Last Month

In December, an Alaska Airlines passenger opened the emergency exit of a plane at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport due to anxiety. The woman climbed onto the wing of the aircraft before being rescued by the Port of Seattle fire department and sent to a hospital for evaluation.

Takeaway

The JetBlue incident highlights the importance of maintaining safety and addressing underlying issues that may lead to such disruptions. Investigations are ongoing, and authorities are working to ensure that such incidents are prevented in the future.