Emma Vu, a passenger on Alaska Airlines Flight 1282, has shared her terrifying experience after a door on the aircraft blew off mid-flight. The incident occurred on a flight from Portland, Oregon, to Ontario, California, involving a Boeing 737-9 MAX at an altitude of 16,000 feet.
Vu, among the 171 passengers on board, recounted the ordeal on social media, including the ‘final text’ she sent to her parents, fearing for her life. The TikToker, known as @shwimshady, described waking up to the plane suddenly dropping about 20 minutes into the flight. “No one knew what was happening, a pilot came on and told everyone to put their mask on,” she recalled, admitting she doesn’t remember much else due to the fear.
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Vu shared the texts she sent to her parents during the crisis. “I am so scared right now. Please pray for me. Please I don’t want to die,” she wrote in a panic. Her father advised her to assume the brace position and inquired about the situation, while her mother reassured her, expressing their love for her.
Vu also mentioned the support she received from two kind ladies seated beside her and the kindness of the flight attendants. Following the incident, the plane immediately returned to Portland, where passengers were safely deplaned and checked by paramedics.
Vu humorously noted in her TikTok that she received ‘free snacks’ and ‘a compensated flight with more legroom.’ However, she told CNN that Alaska Airlines had also sent an email to passengers apologizing for the incident and offering compensation for the ticket and an additional $1,500 for any inconvenience.
A spokesperson for Alaska Airlines acknowledged the distress caused by the incident, stating to the New York Post, “We recognize how extremely distressing this incident must have been and we are grateful to you and our crew for everyone’s calm and patience throughout this experience. We will fully investigate this incident and work with the relevant authorities to understand what happened.”
The airline is conducting an investigation into the incident, with the door plug reportedly found in a Portland school teacher’s backyard. Following the event, Alaska Airlines announced the grounding of its entire fleet of Max-9 aircraft.
