A United Airlines aircraft. A flight attendant took an unconventional route out. Photo / AP
A United Airlines aircraft. A flight attendant took an unconventional route out. Photo / AP
A United Airlines flight attendant intentionally deployed an emergency slide after the aircraft arrived at Houston's airport in Texas, the airline says.
Flight 1246 - carrying 159 passengers and six crew - had just taxied to its gate at Bush Intercontinental Airport when the flight attendant deployed the chute, ABCreports.
Mashable reported the flight attendant opened the plane's front door, deployed the emergency slide, slid out and walked away.
The plane was taken out of service, inspected, and returned to service, while the attendant was removed from flying duty, according to United.
"We hold all of our employees to the highest standard. The unsafe behavior is unacceptable and does not represent the more than 20,000 flight attendants who ensure the safety of our customers," the airline said in a statement. "United is reviewing the matter and they have removed the employee from her flying duties."
No one was injured during the incident, which recalled another - much more famous - time a flight attendant pulled an emergency slide.
Steven Slater, who worked for JetBlue, unleashed a profanity-laced tirade before grabbing beer and sliding down the chute at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport in 2010.
