In a shocking breach of standard aviation procedure, passengers aboard an Air Congo flight were compelled to disembark by leaping from the aircraft's door onto the tarmac at Kindu Airport. The incident, which occurred on 20 December 2025, unfolded after the Boeing 737-800 arrived from Kinshasa and airport authorities failed to provide mobile stairs.
Passengers Stranded for Hours Before Risky Exit
The aircraft, one of two Boeing 737s leased from Ethiopian Airlines for Air Congo's operations, remained stationary on the apron for several hours. With no stairs available, normal disembarkation was impossible. Video evidence circulating on social media confirmed the extraordinary scene.
Ground staff eventually advised the trapped travellers to exit via the forward door. Passengers were seen jumping a distance of approximately three to four metres—the height of a Boeing 737-800 door—to the ground below. Airport personnel in high-visibility vests stood on the tarmac, assisting with luggage but unable to provide a proper exit solution.
Why Emergency Slides Were Not Deployed
Notably, the aircraft's emergency evacuation slides were not activated during this process. Aviation safety protocols strictly regulate their use. Deployment is reserved for immediate dangers like fire or smoke, not for logistical failures.
The financial and operational penalties for unnecessary slide deployment are severe:
- Replacing a slide assembly on a Boeing 737 costs around $19,000 (parts and labour), according to U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) data.
- Even inspection and repacking an undamaged slide can exceed $12,000.
- Such an action can ground an aircraft for hours or days, causing major schedule disruptions.
For a remote airport like Kindu, where specialised maintenance and spare parts are scarce, an unnecessary slide deployment could have stranded the aircraft and passengers indefinitely.
Airline and Airport Response Remain Unclear
As of the reporting time, Air Congo, the national carrier launched in December 2024, has not issued a detailed public statement regarding the incident. The airline is a joint venture, with the Congolese government holding a 51% stake and Ethiopian Airlines owning the remaining 49%.
Similarly, airport authorities at Kindu have provided no official explanation for the critical lack of boarding stairs upon the flight's arrival. Fortunately, there were no immediate reports of serious injuries from the risky disembarkation.
This incident highlights the operational challenges and potential safety lapses that can occur at smaller, regional airports, raising questions about infrastructure readiness and contingency planning for airlines operating in such locations.
