Pulse-pounding video shows Asiana flight’s
panic as passenger opens door while still
in the air

As the altitude was only 700 feet, there was no difference in the air pressure inside and outside the aircraft. As I recall, as an aircraft climbs, inside pressure is maintained at 8000 feet, as outside pressure decreases. Differential pressures act against any effort to pull and open the door.

Re: OP's comment. The "air stream" has zero to do with the impossibility of opening a passenger jet door when the aircraft is pressurized, which is any time it is climbing or at altitude. So, when the system is not pressurized, as it was not in this case...yes, there is nothing to prevent someone from opening a door, and the "air stream" has absolutely nothing to do with it. Pressurization starts as the aircraft takes off and climbs, internal pressure increasing as the aircraft altitude increases, up to the maximum design pressure. The overwhelming majority of these "passenger attempts to open the door" cases occurs during the cruise portion of flight, where the pressurization system is putting an internal pressure of about 12 psi, which means pounds per square inch. A square foot has 144 square inches so at altitude, the internal pressure force against a square foot is 1728 lbs. And even the smallest of the overwing emergency exits are about 4+ square feet, the force required to pull them inward against the interior air pressure is at LEAST 6,912 lbs, and the large main cabin doors are about 5 ft wide by 7 feet tall, so ~35 square feet, requiring over 60,000 lbs to move the initial inward part of their unlocking.....no one will ever open the door on a pressurized aircraft. Unpressurized, which is the case very close to or on the ground....well, a whole different matter. But, when unpressurized it is just windy and noisy if they open an over wing exit, nobody will get "sucked out", so while certainly troublesome and a bit frightening, still not a big safety issue, IMO

Thanks for the knowledge, but I didn't say it was impossible - the aircraft expert did, as quoted in the NY Post article.

Try opening your car door at 39MPH. Not easy. Now, dial it up to 170MPH (I know) and try it. Logical conclusion: Airstream has a LOT to do with it.

Except that your car door opens OUTWARD, on a hinge, INTO the airstream. An aircraft emergency exit opens INWARD and will never enter / be affected by the " airstream". So..... no. Although it does appear to indicate that the "expert" a) may have no understanding of the nature of the incident or b) may be an idiot. (Or c) "Both a and b.")

Any "non" idiot can view the photo of the A321 and see that the door opens outward and towards the leading edge.

My apologies to OP. I misunderstood.

Re #4. Some aircraft doors open by tilting in, then swinging out, and those would be affected by air flow as you say. The overwing exits on many airliners are not hinged, just hatches that come straight in, where wind would affect them not at all.

My fellow paratroopers out there in LucianneLand will agree with me that when that door opened, we would have stood up, hooked up, and checked our equipment.

This is why I always kept my seat belt well buckled. Glad I no longer fly.

No need #7. We're long timers here.

#6. Cabin doors have a tapered shape that seals them once pressure is applied, much like a plug. Some doors retract upward into the ceiling; others swing outward but open inward first.

Number 9 -- we also had the presence of a jump masters #13 highly polished jumper's boot aimed at your posterior in you approached the door with your hands on the inside of the door rather than the outside. I know, as the guy in front of me indicated he was going to resist making an exit. He was rewarded with a D ring making a groove in his steel helmet due to the prop blast. He made a non-approved exit from a C-46 Curtis-Wright Commando (they couldn't feather the prop on this bird).