Man Tries to Open Airplane Exit

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands (AP) -- A passenger on board a KLM flight from Amsterdam to Newark spat on a flight attendant, threatened passengers with a cane and tried to open the emergency exit while in flight, an official said Thursday.

The 28-year-old Dutchman, who KLM spokesman Hugo Baas described as ``clearly unstable,'' ignored orders from flight crew to turn off his mobile phone.

He ripped up his passport and said he would hit passengers and flight attendants. He then took a seat in business class, claiming he suffered from claustrophobia.

``At 37,000 feet he decided it was time to go and tried to open the emergency exit,'' Baas said. However, due to the cabin pressure, it was impossible to open the aircraft's emergency door.

Eventually, the man was handcuffed by the captain and guarded by two passengers for the rest of the flight, Baas said.

Upon arrival in the United States, the man was put on the next flight back to the Netherlands under the supervision of two private security guards.

He was arrested at Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport and will face charges of attempting to endanger the lives of passengers, the spokesman said.
http://www.nytimes.com/aponline/worl...-Air-Rage.html