A JetBlue flight had a brief scare when a passenger jumped up and tried to open an overwing emergency exit after hearing the Airbus A320’s distinctive “barking dog” sound during taxi. Cabin crew and nearby travelers intervened within seconds; the door, impossible to open while the aircraft is pressurized and the slide is disarmed, never unlatched, and the flight later continued after a short delay.
According to witnesses, the woman said her boyfriend was a pilot and insisted the noise signaled a mechanical failure. In reality, the sound is normal: it comes from the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). This hydraulic pump automatically equalizes pressure between the A320’s green and yellow systems when only one engine is running (common during single-engine taxi). The PTU’s pulsing whine can resemble a small dog barking or a jackhammer, alarming to first-timers but benign and expected.
Crew followed safety procedures, securing the area, calming the passenger, and coordinating with the captain. After a brief return-to-gate check and a passenger assessment, police/medical personnel (as required by airline policy) met the aircraft, and the flight resumed once the cabin was secured.
Sources: Aviation A2Z, M9.news
Image: Al Arabiya English
