A FIRST-time passenger sparked panic after trying to open a plane door in mid-air because he thought it was the toilet.

The man, in his late 20s, was travelling on a GoAir flight from New Delhi to Patna in India on Saturday when he "urgently" needed the bathroom.

2 A first-time passenger sparked panic when he tried to open an emergency exit mid-flight after mistaking it for a toilet Credit: Alamy

Local media reported that passengers were screaming while cabin crew wrestled the man away from the door and ordered him to remain in his seat for the rest of his flight.

He was was escorted from the plane by airport security upon arrival and handed over to police, who quizzed him about his motives and he admitted it was a "mistake".

Sanowar Khan, the officer in charge of the local police, said the man caused "pandemonium" when he tried to open the rear door.

Khan told Kolkata-based newspaper The Telegraph: “People asked him why he was doing so (trying to open the exit gate).

2 He was travelling on a GoAir flight from New Dehli on Saturday when the drama unfolded Credit: Alamy

"He told them that he needed to use the washroom urgently and kept tugging at the exit door.

"Pandemonium prevailed amid all this and he was restrained and finally handed over to us.

"He said that the confusion happened because he had boarded a flight for the first time in his life.”

Khan added that the man, who is a banker and was flying for the first time, was released without charge.

He said: "There was no ulterior motive behind this act."

A GoAir spokesperson said the 1hr 45min flight, which was carrying 150 passengers, landed safely in Patna at 7.35pm on Saturday.

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They said: “A passenger on flight G8 149 Del-Pat was trying to open the rear door of the aircraft while in the air.

“A co-passenger raised the alarm and he was intercepted by the crew. Post arrival, the passenger was handed over to CISF (Central Industrial Security Force) for further investigation.”

The security force, which is part of the Indian military, told the Times of India the man had managed to unlock the rear door but couldn't open it due to cabin pressure.

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