Airline Suspends Flight Attendant Who Used Emergency Chute To Leave Packed Plane

Video shows the United Airlines flight attendant using an emergency slide and walking off.

United Airlines says the flight attendant who deployed an emergency chute, slid down and walked away has been grounded.

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The flight attendant triggered the emergency slide at Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston after traveling from Sacramento on Monday. She deployed the escape device after the plane, carrying 159 passengers, stopped at the gate. 

Travel Expert Karen Schaler told IE, I am appalled. I feel it's a very serious safety issue. And as a passenger we trust our flight attendants. Nowadays we're all on high alert. Here's someone we trust jumping out of the plane.”

United Airlines called incident “unacceptable and does not represent the more than 20,000 flight attendants who ensure the safety of our customers."

The unidentified flight attendant has been removed from flight duties.

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The incident echoes the actions of Steven Slater, a Jet Blue flight attendant who stormed off a plane in 2010. Slater grabbed two cans of beer, unleashed the emergency chute and slid out of the plane.

He told IE that some people have told him he was extremely unprofessional for the stunt, while others have commended him.

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