Flight delays and diversions can cause travelers to say things out of the norm. But passengers on a delayed flight in Northern California took it to the next level.
Passengers on an Aeromexico flight called authorities to tell them they weren’t allowed to leave a plane. They called 911 and claimed they were being held against their will at Oakland International Airport on Thursday. The flight was scheduled to land in San Francisco after leaving Guadalajara but was diverted to Oakland due to intense fog, causing the flight to sit on the tarmac for four hours.
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Travelers complained that they received no food or water and to top it off, they were allegedly forced to sit with no air conditioning. The report from the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said an anxious passenger was even threatening to open the emergency door exit.
“He is saying that we are kidnapping him and he’s going to open the door. What I really need is the police,” the captain said via radio.
The man and one other passenger were detained based on the fact that they were tampering with the aircraft but since it was just a threat, they were allowed to leave and faced no charges. It was total chaos as one woman had to be taken to the hospital after having trouble breathing. One passenger caught the intense moments on video.
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Oakland Airport released a statement saying it’s an airline’s decision whether or not to await clearance in order to return to the original destination or let passengers get off the plane at the airport they were diverted to. Not allowing passengers to leave the plane makes sense since the airline has no operations in Oakland. Aeromexico would have to get special authorization from authorities allowing passengers to leave.
Thankfully, passengers gained access to the terminal some time Thursday afternoon.