Mid-Airport Scare Triggers Brief Disruption in Chennai

Unexpected incidents can disrupt routine flights, as witnessed early Sunday at Chennai airport, where an unusual event shortly after landing caused temporary concern and a brief operational disruption.

Shortly after landing at Chennai International Airport, an unusual situation unfolded on board a flight operated by Air Arabia.

The aircraft, arriving from Sharjah at around 3:23 am, was taxiing when a passenger allegedly opened an emergency exit.

The passenger, identified as Mohamed Sherif Mohamed Najmudeen, exited the aircraft onto the taxiway within minutes of landing.

Airport security responded immediately, detained him, and handed him over to local police. As a result, authorities acted quickly to secure the area.

Soon after, officials closed the main runway as a precaution. The aircraft, an Airbus A320, was later moved to a parking bay. Normal operations resumed within about an hour, minimising overall disruption.

However, several flights were affected during this period. A British Airways flight from London was diverted to Bengaluru.

In addition, flights to cities like Doha, Ahmedabad, and Dubai faced delays of up to 40 minutes. Some departures continued using a secondary runway to maintain limited operations.

Meanwhile, Air Arabia’s return flight to Sharjah departed over three hours late due to disruptions.

However, airport authorities acted swiftly and efficiently, restoring normal operations quickly and ensuring overall safety while minimising further delays across affected flights and maintaining operational stability.

Preliminary reports indicate the passenger claimed he was mentally unstable at the time. However, officials have not confirmed this statement and are continuing their investigation.

They are also reviewing how the emergency exit was accessed after landing.

Although the incident caused a temporary disruption at the airport, swift and coordinated action by staff ensured passenger safety, contained risks effectively, and enabled a quick restoration of normal operations with minimal impact on overall flight schedules and airport efficiency.

Image Credit: User:Tshrinivasan, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Image Reference: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Chennai_airport_view_3.jpeg