A female passenger aboard a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight caused panic yesterday when she accidentally mistook the emergency exit door for the toilet. This caused a seven hour delay to the flight.According to the Times of Islamabad, the aircraft was on the runway at Manchester Airport in the northwest of England when the woman mistakenly opened the emergency door.Pakistan Airlines flight PK-702 Manchester –Islamabad was preparing for take-off when a woman seated at the rear of the Boeing 777 got up from her seat to use the toilet. Thinking it was the door for the bathroom, the woman mistakenly opened the aircraft's left rear door, automatically deploying the aircraft's emergency chute.

The mistake caused a nearly seven-hour delay to the 7hr 50 min flight. This was due to crew needing to reseat 21 of the 393 passengers and offload 35, because the rear exit door was no longer available for use in the event of an emergency.

According to aviation website View From The Wing, there have been a spate similar incidents in China due to the country's large amount of first-time flyers. New flyers in China have also been known to throw coins into the engines of the aircraft thinking it will bring them good luck.

How often does this kind of thing happen?

According to People Magazine, quoting a report from L’Agence France-Presse, a 20 something -year-old first-time flyer on board a GoAir plane tried to open the rear emergency exit after getting up to use the bathroom.

Once he tried to open the door it sounded an alarm that alerted crew members to pull him away from the door.

While it might seem like a nightmare scenario if a confused passenger or for that matter a deranged man tries to open the emergency exit mid-flight, the chance of them actually opening the door is impossible.

An incident last month saw a passenger on a Ryanair flight from Manchester to Gran Canaria trying to open the door before being tackled by fellow passengers. The man’s attempt to open the door in-flight would have been impossible, due to the pressurization of the aircraft.

Other recent Pakistan aviation news

Just a day earlier passengers aboard a PIA flight from Islamabad to Karachi complained about the food service on the plane after being served undercooked chicken and stale bread during Sehri time. Sehri is a pre-fast meal eaten before sunrise during Ramadan.

The passengers reportedly lambasted the cabin crew over the quality of the food according to Pakistan’s Tribune newspaper.

British Airways flies to Pakistan after a 11-year break

Up until last week, the only way to fly to Pakistan from the UK was on Pakistan Airlines. Having now opened a new airport in Islamabad and assured British Airways that passenger safety was the main priority, the UK flag carrier has resumed flights three days per week.

Rather than having to fly with Pakistan Airlines, business and leisure passengers can now travel in style aboard a British Airways 787 Dreamliner.

Have you ever been on a plane when someone tried to open the door? Let us know in the comments.