Southwest Pilot Resolves Door Lock Issue By Scaling Through Cockpit Window

A photo of a Southwest Airlines pilot climbing through the cockpit glass to unlock the plane door has gone viral. On a journey from San Diego to Sacramento earlier this week, a passenger inadvertently closed and locked the door to the plane's control centre.

The pilot climbs through the cockpit window of the plane

The moment was caught by a passenger and quickly went viral on social media. "No joke... yesterday the last passenger got off the plane with no one else on board, he shut the door," passenger Matt Rexroad tweeted. The door was shut. "The pilot had to crawl through the cockpit window to open the door so we could board."

During Wednesday's boarding, the pilot can be seen squeezing himself through the plane's window. A member of the ground team was able to jimmy the window open.

Rexroad, the passenger, told Fox5 that "it was only a matter of seconds before that window was open." Everything was completed in record time. Despite the unforeseen hiccup, the flight was only eight minutes late." The gate officials announced that there might be a little delay because a passenger had locked the door from the inside of the cockpit.

A Southwest representative responded to Mr. Rexroad's tweet, quipping, "Well, that is definitely something you don't see every day."

Southwest Airlines verified the event with The New York Post in a statement. "During the boarding process, a Customer opened the forward lavatory door and inadvertently pushed the Flight Deck door closed (which locked) while the Pilots scheduled to operate the flight were preparing to board the aircraft," according to the statement. "From a Flight Deck window, one of our Pilots unlocked the door, and the flight took off as planned."

Windows are primarily designed for visibility

Modern commercial aircraft are designed with specific entry and exit doors for cockpit access. Pilots typically enter and exit the cockpit using designated doors located on the side of the aircraft. These doors are equipped with stairs or movable platforms to ensure safe and controlled entry or exit.

The cockpit windows are primarily designed for visibility and to withstand the forces experienced during flight. Climbing through a cockpit window could pose a safety risk to the pilot and potentially damage the aircraft. It is not a standard or approved method of entering or exiting the cockpit.

However, in certain emergency situations where the designated entry doors are inaccessible or compromised, pilots may consider alternative means of evacuation, including emergency exits or windows. These situations are extremely rare and would be addressed through specific emergency procedures and training.

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