Emergency Slide Deploys Twice by Mistake on Arkia Aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport

For the second time within a week and a half, an emergency evacuation slide was accidentally deployed on an Arkia Airlines aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. The latest incident involved an Airbus A320-214 (registration 4X-AGV) during a ground operational check after landing. This time, the slide deployment caused damage to a catering vehicle. Arkia confirmed no injuries occurred and stated the aircraft was inspected and returned to full operational status without affecting the airline's flight schedule.

The previous similar event happened just last week when an emergency slide deployed on an Embraer E195AR (registration 4X-EMF) preparing for a flight to Eilat. That aircraft was grounded for maintenance following the incident. Arkia is investigating whether the recent deployment was due to a technical malfunction or human error.

Emergency slide deployments are costly, with expenses ranging from $50,000 to $100,000 for simple cases and potentially reaching millions in complex scenarios. Costs include repacking and repairing the slide, fixing any damage to the aircraft or door, and replacing the slide if torn, which alone can cost up to $70,000. Additional expenses arise from flight delays, cancellations, and passenger compensation such as hotel accommodations and rebooking fees.