KEY POINTS

  • The woman was arrested by police at the destination after becoming unruly.
  • She is now being assessed by staff at a psychiatric hospital.

A woman was detained by police after she attempted to open a plane door in front of horrified passengers.

Fellow travellers said the woman shouted 'I am God' and 'I want to die' as she attempted to open the cabin door following takeoff. Footage taken on Monday evening shows how passengers restrained her by pinning her down in the aisle of the aircraft.

The woman, who had been travelling in first class, was detained at the airport gate by police after pilots notified them of an "unruly passenger". She was later handed over to the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare for further psychiatric evaluation.

"She wasn't acting right, or normal, from the very beginning" Scott T. Smith, told the Idaho Statesman. He said that the woman appeared to be travelling with a companion before she eventually lost control.

"I read it as: One of them is trying to get over the fear of flying ... I could tell that one or both were uneasy with flying." He said the woman had been muttering phrases prior to the incident including: "God has all the data." "I don't have any data." "We landed in Boise 15 minutes ago." "For three years."

Despite the drama, Smith says it was quickly brought under control and claimed he "wasn't that concerned."

The SouthWest airline service, which was travelling from San Francisco to Bosie, Idaho, was not diverted and landed at the scheduled time.

"SkyWest flight 5449, operating as United Express from San Francisco to Boise, landed safely in Boise after reports of a customer attempting to open the aircraft door," said a SkyWest spokesperson in a statement.

"The customer was restrained and law enforcement officials met the flight at the gate, where all passengers safely deplaned. The unruly customer was held for questioning by law enforcement."