Delta flight delayed after accidental evacuation slide deployment

A Delta Air Lines flight scheduled to depart Pittsburgh for Salt Lake City on October 25 was delayed for nearly four hours after a flight attendant accidentally deployed an emergency evacuation slide while preparing the aircraft for departure, airline officials and passengers said. The forward left slide inflated against the jetbridge as the crew was arming the doors at Pittsburgh International Airport, preventing passengers from leaving the aircraft until maintenance personnel detached the chute and the jetbridge was reconnected.

Delta Flight 3248, operating an Airbus A220, eventually pushed back around 9:20 p.m., about four hours after its scheduled 5:30 p.m. departure, and arrived at its destination late that night. Engineers spent roughly an hour detaching the inflated slide from the jetbridge, and some travelers missed connecting flights as a result. The airline said affected customers were rebooked on other flights and that hotel accommodations were provided to those rebooked for the following day. A Delta spokesperson said, "We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travel plans."

Passengers posted photographs of the deployed slide on social media and described...