# Opening an exit door at 35,000 feet **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 6, 2018, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131 "2018-03-06T18:03:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2018, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/41 "2018-03-08T21:19:23Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > There could also be some commercial aircraft which aren’t pressurized (either because they fly low enough not to need pressurization, or because they’re carrying non-pressure-sensitive cargo), which might have some other door type. Some years ago, _The Wall Street Journal_ asked its readers for their most memorable stories of international travel. One businessman aboard a rickety African turboprop wrote of being asked by a stewardess after takeoff to firmly hold onto the handle of the aircraft’s exterior hatch for the rest of the flight. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/42 "2018-03-09T01:00:00Z")
[It could be worse](https://www.defordmusic.com/wp-content/uploads/what-site-changes-do.jpg). ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 7:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/43 "2018-03-09T07:49:30Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Some years ago, _The Wall Street Journal_ asked its readers for their most memorable stories of international travel. One businessman aboard a rickety African turboprop wrote of being asked by a stewardess after takeoff to firmly hold onto the handle of the aircraft’s exterior hatch for the rest of the flight. Turns out he was just being an obnoxious dick and she wanted him to shut up and stay in one place. (I don’t know if that’s actually true) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/44 "2018-03-09T16:05:19Z")
Me, either. I hardly think he’d mention it if it were! Since **Chronos** got the ball rolling, I’ll post my favorite _Far Side_ aviation cartoon: [http://1.bp.blogspot.com/\_m8z0LDxt1qY/TSiHknX460I/AAAAAAAABRw/X6JBwWZiWSU/s1600/far\_side\_mountain\_goat.jpg](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_m8z0LDxt1qY/TSiHknX460I/AAAAAAAABRw/X6JBwWZiWSU/s1600/far_side_mountain_goat.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![MattDHat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c89c15/32.png) [@MattDHat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MattDHat)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/45 "2018-03-09T20:10:20Z")
The new version of the Archive isn’t searchable anymore, but I recall that Cecil has covered this, and even doors that seem to open normally have to "pop-out"by moving to the side or something to that effect before actually opening; if memory serves, you’d need to be able to generate at least a ton of force, probably more at 30K feet. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2018, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131/46 "2018-03-09T21:37:23Z")
> [@MattDHat](#): > > The new version of the Archive isn’t searchable anymore… It is, not on the Archives page itself (dumb move) but on the SD homepage below Slug’s cartoon du jour and the “Related Columns” and “Related Threads” entries. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/opening-an-exit-door-at-35-000-feet/810131.md?page=2)