‘First and last flight ever’: Passenger’s American Airlines experience goes so wrong she calls the police while still on the plane

Traveling during busy holiday seasons often leads to airport problems. Last holiday season, nearly 30% of Southwest Airlines flights were delayed by 15 minutes or more. This year, passengers are dealing with major delays and many flight cancellations. Last Friday alone, over 7,600 flights were delayed across the country in just one day.

However, getting on a flight doesn’t guarantee you’ll reach your destination smoothly. A TikTok user named Jordann recently had a terrible experience that shows just how wrong things can go. She shared her story in several videos that quickly gained attention online.

According to Bro Bible, Jordann’s American Airlines flight landed at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport, but nobody could get off the plane. The cabin door wouldn’t open, leaving all passengers stuck inside. She even joked about texting her lawyer while waiting. The captain announced that passengers would exit using stairs instead of the usual jet bridge, which required a security escort. But even after security arrived, the doors stayed locked.

The passengers were trapped for hours with no clear answers

Jordann posted updates showing that American Airlines called the police, yet passengers remained trapped for over an hour with locked doors. She questioned why emergency exits couldn’t be used in this situation. The entire ordeal lasted 2 hours and 33 minutes before everyone finally got off the plane. Jordann declared it would be her first and last flight with American Airlines.

The exact cause of the problem remains unclear. There were no reports of American Airlines having major issues with flights arriving at O’Hare Airport during that time. Based on the pilot’s announcement and Jordann’s account, there may have been confusion about what actually prevented passengers from leaving. This incident adds to growing frustrations with the airline’s new airport services that have upset travelers recently.

Several things could have caused the delay. The flight crew might have noticed pressure problems in the cabin, making the door hard to open even after landing. Another possibility is that the problem wasn’t with the plane’s door at all, but with the jet bridge or gate assignment. The captain mentioned no jet bridge was available, suggesting a ground operations delay rather than an aircraft problem.

Jordann likely won’t receive compensation for this incident. The Department of Transportation requires passengers to be able to leave safely within three hours after landing. Her wait time of 2 hours and 33 minutes falls just under this limit. 

The DOT also allows exceptions for safety, security, or air traffic control reasons. Meanwhile, the airline has faced other concerning situations, including a Black Hawk helicopter collision incident that raised questions about flight safety protocols.

American Airlines never contacted Jordann after the incident or apologized. When she got off the plane, she was having a panic attack due to her anxiety condition. A manager had to yell at an employee to get her medication from her checked carry-on bag. The flight was oversold, so she had volunteered to check her bag since she wasn’t in a hurry.

This was also her first flight without her service dog, who recently retired due to an enlarged heart. According to Jordann, the pilot admitted he wasn’t sure how to handle the situation and said it wasn’t normal, which didn’t make her feel better. She said there was poor communication throughout, and suddenly they were surrounded by police two hours later.