You remember the search for Waldo (Wally outside the US and Canada) growing up in the Where’s Waldo? series of books by Martin Handford? Well, we’ve found him…jumping out of a Delta 737-800 at Los Angeles International Airport.
“Where’s Waldo?” Flings Open Door Of Delta 737-800, Exits Via Emergency Slide at LAX
As Delta flight 1714 prepared to takeoff Saturday, March 25, 2023 from Los Angeles (LAX) to Seattle (SEA), a passenger suddenly ran down the aisle, flung open the emergency exit door, and then slid down the emergency evacuation slide and onto the tarmac at LAX. Gillian Sheldon, a passenger onboard, describes what happened better than I can:
Holy sh*t. Just as my flight was leaving the gate at LAX a man ran up from the back of the plane & opened the door. Flight attendants tried to stop him but he deployed the slide and jumped out. 1/2
— Gillian Sheldon (@gilliansheldon) March 25, 2023
He was apprehended, but I’m going to be sitting here a while for security checks. I am totally FINE- just really bizarre. 2/2 https://t.co/dHeaDC8m56 pic.twitter.com/yaUhV6TXT7
— Gillian Sheldon (@gilliansheldon) March 25, 2023
The passenger (let’s call him Waldo because he was wearing a long-sleeved red striped shirt similar to Where’s Waldo? was quickly apprehended, first by Delta ground staff until police officers could show up to arrest him.
There’s even video:
Hello former colleagues! I was on this plane! https://t.co/4JlkVTQTxC pic.twitter.com/7f5ZWixNnH
— Gillian Sheldon (@gilliansheldon) March 25, 2023
With the deployment of the emergency slide, the aircraft was out of commission and had to be swapped. Eventually the flight resumed, arriving in Seattle three hours and 44 minutes behind schedule.
Passengers did not blame Delta for the experience, though.
Thank you @Delta for taking such good care of us from this flight. What a crazy experience!!
— Gillian Sheldon (@gilliansheldon) March 25, 2023
The motive and identity of Waldo has not yet been released.
CONCLUSION
A man decided to exit stage right on a Delta 737-800 on a tarmac at LAX. “Waldo” has been arrested and faces–at the very least–a hefty bill from Delta for a new slide.
And yes folks, we’ve finally found Waldo. In LaLa land of course…the years haven’t been good to him.
images: @gilliansheldon / Twitter
Best headline of the day – and the day is young!
I would really like to know the thinking pattern of this idiot. No thinking aboit consequences?
He probably was looking to redeem some SkyMiles, saw it was 500,000 miles for a J to London, and then said, “the heck with this, I’m out.”
Lol x2 Stuart, at those rates, I’d probably would have done the same!
Waldo looks quite large to have made the slide so quickly.
Gravity was his friend, in this case.
If he grabbed a beer on the way out it may have been Slater’s cousin
What happened to the folks sitting in the exit rows?! Don’t they know that it is their job to beat the crap out of anyone trying to exit in a non-emergency situation?! Would they have just watched him if the plane was in the air?
I think the flight attendants will be giving new instructions to exit row passengers.
@ Trlu – it is physically impossible for the emergency exit door to open when at altitude – thanks to Physics!