Have you ever been on a plane that is diverted to another airport? In this true crime, once in the air, the passengers around an agitated male and his travel companion on the under three-hour flight might’ve feared a diversion to the nearest airport as the most likely outcome.
Passengers heard the man tell his girlfriend he’d never heard of the airline whose plane they were on, and he feared if the plane went down, he’d be “gone with the wind.”
During the safety briefing, the man verbalized his concern for the emergency doors and windows and questioned the crew about an emergency raft.
The passengers also heard the couple arguing and the girlfriend break up with the man. In return, he dumped his drink on her and called her a hateful name.
Several passengers asked to move to another seat away from the couple—and they hadn’t even taken off yet.
After the plane took off and was ascending, the man stood up and said he wanted off the plane. When that tactic didn’t work, he said his girlfriend had a bomb on the plane.
Did you know it’s against the law to say the word “bomb” on a plane or at an airport? Yes, it violates both civil and criminal laws—known as a “Bomb Hoax”—intentional spreading of false information that could cause people to believe an emergency is happening.
With the male passenger’s disturbance escalating, the pilot made the call to divert the plane to a closer airport than their destination. All passengers were required to leave the plane and bomb detection dogs were called in to search the plane.
After a TSA officer read the man his Miranda Rights and told him of the severity of his claims that his ex-girlfriend had a bomb, the man said he’d been joking and that he is a nervous flyer.
Rather than go to trial, the 41-year-old man pleaded guilty to false information and threats regarding an explosive on an airplane. A federal judge sentenced him to two years in prison, followed by three-years of supervised release, and pay the airline over $25,000.
Source: U.S. District Court, Law & Crime, U.S. District Attorney, USA Today
All data and information provided is for information and research purposes only and not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, or individual. Criminal cases may have been appealed or verdicts overturned since I researched the case. All information is provided on an as-is basis.
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