Asiana Airlines Stops Selling Emergency Exit Seats After Door Opens
The Facts
On Sunday, South Korea's Asiana Airlines announced plans to stop selling tickets for emergency exit seats on its Airbus A321-200 aircraft, after a passenger allegedly opened an emergency exit door mid-air.
The incident took place on Friday, as the plane approached the runway at Daegu International Airport about 240 kilometers (150 miles) southeast of Seoul. Though it landed safely and didn't report any severe injuries or damage, several of the 200 people onboard were hospitalized.
The Spin
Narrative A
This unprecedented incident raises serious questions surrounding flight safety measures. Authorities must investigate how the passenger could open the emergency exit door mid-flight, and the Airlines must ensure emergency exit doors are only capable of opening, whether at low altitudes or not, in life-threatening events.
Narrative B
Before passengers around the world begin to fear flying due to rare stories like this, it must be noted that the Airbus A321 plane is part of a list of aircraft with completely clean safety records. Most airlines use almost entirely Airbus and Boeing airplanes, as they have an impeccable track record of keeping their passengers comfortable and safe while traveling.
