Ryanair passenger tries to open plane door during mid-air meltdown

A passenger on a flight from Spain reportedly tried to open the door of the plane mid-air before being stopped by an off-duty security guard.

Shortly after the Ryanair FR5253 flight took off from Seville to Budapest, the man in question reportedly started to suffer a meltdown for unknown reasons.

The unnamed passenger started to kick the seats, shout and even threaten people with a pen, according to the security guard, Antonio Quintero.

Then he reportedly tried to run over and open the emergency exit of the plane, as well as get inside the pilot's cabin.

The crew started to shout for help as the plane descended into panic, at which point Mr Quintero leapt into action and with the help of various other passengers, managed to bring the unruly passenger to the floor.

They then tied him to a seat with the seat belt, overseen by the pilot who had come out due to the panic generated by the situation.

The individual was reportedly a young man of Hungarian nationality, who was arrested upon arrival at the Budapest-Ferenc Liszt airport.

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The off-duty security guard, who was travelling with his girlfriend admitted it was his first-ever flight and he noted that he won’t be forgetting it for a while, according to local newspaper Antena 3.

Psychologist Lara Ferreiro said the passenger's behaviour could have been brought on by acute anxiety caused by aerophobia — the fear of flying.

Some statistics state that as many as one in three people are afraid of flying, although a much lesser percentage have been clinically diagnosed with the phobia.

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