Sea-Tac bomb scare causes emergency landing
07-25-2007, 05:54 PM
#1
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Sea-Tac bomb scare causes emergency landing
I was at SEA today and wondered why news helicopters were hovering over the airport never moving an inch for more than an hour. This is why. Another idiot, lunatic travelling member of the public. This guy is lucky I wasn't on NWA 980.
A Memphis-bound plane was recalled to Sea-Tac Airport Wednesday afternoon after a man in the terminal claimed there was a bomb onboard.
His motive, Port of Seattle Police said, was because he had missed his flight and hoped to delay it to get onboard.
Police arrested the man a short time later and said he admitted he had missed Northwest Airlines Flight 980. He told police he was trying to get airport officials to bring it back to the airport -- a goal he ultimately achieved.
Almost 150 passengers on the flight departed at 12:33 p.m. and had only been in the air for about 15 minutes when the plane was recalled to Sea-Tac.
"This has been a huge inconvenience for a lot of people," airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt said.
The plane was determined to be bomb-free about 4 p.m. after police and bomb-sniffing dogs examined the aircraft and the baggage onboard.
The man who reported the bomb was in police custody late Wednesday afternoon, was likely to face felony charges, a spokeswoman said. Making a bomb threat is a federal offense.
"There is a joint investigation being conducted by Port of Seattle Police and the FBI," Betancourt said.
The man had a ticket for the flight and was traveling with a group of people, Betancourt said.
At first, authorities believed he did not have any luggage on the plane, and allowed passengers to remain in their seats while they searched. But after further questioning, the man admitted to checking a bag under someone else's name -- something that's not uncommon when traveling with a group, Betancourt said.
Because of that piece of luggage, passengers were asked to disembark.
The plane made an unusually heavy landing due to its full fuel tanks, so Northwest Airlines planned to check for structural damage Wednesday evening. Passengers were given the option of waiting for a later flight or rebooking for another day.
A Memphis-bound plane was recalled to Sea-Tac Airport Wednesday afternoon after a man in the terminal claimed there was a bomb onboard.
His motive, Port of Seattle Police said, was because he had missed his flight and hoped to delay it to get onboard.
Police arrested the man a short time later and said he admitted he had missed Northwest Airlines Flight 980. He told police he was trying to get airport officials to bring it back to the airport -- a goal he ultimately achieved.
Almost 150 passengers on the flight departed at 12:33 p.m. and had only been in the air for about 15 minutes when the plane was recalled to Sea-Tac.
"This has been a huge inconvenience for a lot of people," airport spokeswoman Terri-Ann Betancourt said.
The plane was determined to be bomb-free about 4 p.m. after police and bomb-sniffing dogs examined the aircraft and the baggage onboard.
The man who reported the bomb was in police custody late Wednesday afternoon, was likely to face felony charges, a spokeswoman said. Making a bomb threat is a federal offense.
"There is a joint investigation being conducted by Port of Seattle Police and the FBI," Betancourt said.
The man had a ticket for the flight and was traveling with a group of people, Betancourt said.
At first, authorities believed he did not have any luggage on the plane, and allowed passengers to remain in their seats while they searched. But after further questioning, the man admitted to checking a bag under someone else's name -- something that's not uncommon when traveling with a group, Betancourt said.
Because of that piece of luggage, passengers were asked to disembark.
The plane made an unusually heavy landing due to its full fuel tanks, so Northwest Airlines planned to check for structural damage Wednesday evening. Passengers were given the option of waiting for a later flight or rebooking for another day.
07-25-2007, 06:59 PM
#3
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Position: Executive Transport Driver
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I would hope that after this incident, he would be added to the governments no fly list. Regardless of his intention, he should be labeled as a future threat to aviation.
I also hope that NWA sends him a bill (via the courts) for damages/costs related to the cancelled flight, maintenance inspection, fuel burn, displaced passengers, and aircraft down time. Something along the lines of about $100K should be appropriate.
I also hope that NWA sends him a bill (via the courts) for damages/costs related to the cancelled flight, maintenance inspection, fuel burn, displaced passengers, and aircraft down time. Something along the lines of about $100K should be appropriate.
07-25-2007, 07:11 PM
#4
Gets Weekends Off
Joined APC: Jun 2007
Posts: 348
I would hope that after this incident, he would be added to the governments no fly list. Regardless of his intention, he should be labeled as a future threat to aviation.
I also hope that NWA sends him a bill (via the courts) for damages/costs related to the cancelled flight, maintenance inspection, fuel burn, displaced passengers, and aircraft down time. Something along the lines of about $100K should be appropriate.
I also hope that NWA sends him a bill (via the courts) for damages/costs related to the cancelled flight, maintenance inspection, fuel burn, displaced passengers, and aircraft down time. Something along the lines of about $100K should be appropriate.
07-25-2007, 07:22 PM
#5
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Posts: 1,857
I think we all know what's going to happen here:
The passengers onboard will complain about being held on the plane during the search, and then will moan about the flight being delayed.
The man in question will go to the talk shows about how NWA was such a terrible airline for not holding the plane for him.
Our nation will yet again call for a Passenger Bill of Rights.
The passengers onboard will complain about being held on the plane during the search, and then will moan about the flight being delayed.
The man in question will go to the talk shows about how NWA was such a terrible airline for not holding the plane for him.
Our nation will yet again call for a Passenger Bill of Rights.
07-25-2007, 07:50 PM
#6
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Position: RC-3 Seabee. Skipper of the A21 cutter.
Posts: 897
It's amazing that impatience can throw people into such an uncontrollable fit of rage that they call in a bomb threat to get their way. How can one arrive at a logical conclusion that calling in a bomb threat is going to help them achieve their intended travel plans? LOL I agree with flyerjosh 1000%!!! NWA should send this dunce a bill, to be paid in full.
07-25-2007, 08:25 PM
#7
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For the first time since I joined APC, I am beginning to understand how you guys feel stuck in some hotel on a layover or something with absolutely nothing to do. I am in such a hotel tonight (well, mine is pretty nice actually) and I just had a fantastic dinner followed by the most decadent and sinful quadruple chocolate cake. Back on the old laptop and decided to use some knowledge I got from some of you on FlightAware. I looked up NWA 980 and got the following, which I find confusing. Does it mean it finally took off again at 4:30 pm?
NWA980 (web site) (all flights) (alert me)
Northwest Airlines Inc. "Northwest"
Aircraft Airbus A320 (twin-jet) (A320/J)
Origin Seattle-Tacoma Intl (KSEA)
Destination Memphis Intl (KMEM)
Other flights between these airports
Route SEA J90 MWH J90 HLN J136 BIL J151 ONL
LNK MCI J41 SGF ARG BEERT2
Date Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007
Duration 8 hours 42 minutes
Progress 3 minutes left
8 hours 38 minutes
Status En Route (No recent position)
Proposed/Assigned Actual/Estimated
Departure 04:30PM PDT 12:46PM PDT
Arrival 10:19PM CDT 11:28PM CDT
Speed 464 kts 227 kts
Altitude 35000 feet 3900 feet
NWA980 (web site) (all flights) (alert me)
Northwest Airlines Inc. "Northwest"
Aircraft Airbus A320 (twin-jet) (A320/J)
Origin Seattle-Tacoma Intl (KSEA)
Destination Memphis Intl (KMEM)
Other flights between these airports
Route SEA J90 MWH J90 HLN J136 BIL J151 ONL
LNK MCI J41 SGF ARG BEERT2
Date Wednesday, Jul 25, 2007
Duration 8 hours 42 minutes
Progress 3 minutes left
8 hours 38 minutes
Status En Route (No recent position)
Proposed/Assigned Actual/Estimated
Departure 04:30PM PDT 12:46PM PDT
Arrival 10:19PM CDT 11:28PM CDT
Speed 464 kts 227 kts
Altitude 35000 feet 3900 feet
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