Opening an aircraft door is impossible while the plane is at cruising altitude or above 10,000 feet due to air pressure. However, as the plane gets lower, experts say it is possible for a door to open as the pressure outside equalizes with the pressure inside the plane.

Physically opening an airplane door at cruising altitude is virtually impossible due to the immense pressure differential between the cabin and the outside environment. Most commercial aircraft utilize "plug doors," which are designed to be slightly larger than the opening itself; when the cabin is pressurized (usually at about 8 pounds of pressure per square inch), thousands of pounds of force hold the door firmly against the frame. To open it, you would first have to pull it inward, which no human possesses the strength to do against that pressure. Additionally, electronic and mechanical locks controlled by the flight deck remain engaged until the aircraft has landed and the pilot gives the "doors to manual" command. While doors can technically be opened at very low altitudes or during descent when the pressure is equalized, doing so at 35,000 feet is a physical impossibility.