Bomb threat audio emerges from Frontier Airlines flight

Audio of the pilot speaking on the Frontier Airlines flight where a passenger made an alleged bomb threat has emerged, according to a report.

A passenger allegedly made an verbal bomb threat on a Frontier Airlines flight traveling from Columbus, Ohio, to Atlanta on Sunday, as the plane was preparing to land. The airport was evacuated and the plane was isolated for investigation.

Authorities said the threat was not credible, but the incident is being investigated by authorities, according to multiple reports.

“As a matter of precaution and in coordination with local authorities, the aircraft parked at a remote location while law enforcement responded,” a Frontier spokesperson told USA Today, adding that the threat was deemed non-credible.

While it was not credible, the bomb threat posed serious safety and security concerns especially amid the partial federal government shutdown. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) employees have continued to work throughout the shutdown because they are considered essential, but they have not been paid for weeks which has hurt staffing levels and morale.

Nearly 500 TSA workers have left the agency during the shutdown, the Department of Homeland Security said.

Meanwhile, it comes amid increased global tensions due to the U.S.’s conflict with Iran.

What To Know

According to audio cited by Atlanta outlet 11Alive, the pilot responded to the threat. “He’s in his seat. He is starting to threaten to kill the lady who’s sitting next to him, and he is saying that he has a bomb on board,” the pilot reportedly said. Newsweek has not been able to verify this audio.

“The flight attendants started saying, ‘Heads down, hands up, heads down, hands up,” passenger Jessica Kinder said, according to a local news outlet.

Details about the passenger alleged to have made the threat have not been released.

It comes after a Southwest Airlines plane flying from Nashville, Tennessee, to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, was diverted to Atlanta midflight due to a “security matter” involving a passenger on March 6.

In a separate incident earlier in March, parts of Kansas City International Airport were evacuated, involving roughly 2,000 travelers, after authorities were alerted to a potential threat. Normal operations resumed within a few hours.

Another March flight from Birmingham, Alabama, to Washington, D.C. was deplaned after a possible security issue was reported during boarding, Birmingham outlet WVTM13 reported. The plane was later swept and cleared of any threat.

What People Are Saying

A spokesperson for the DHS previously told Newsweek: “President Trump has made the decision that echoes what TSA’s front-line employees and the millions of Americans enduring terrible wait times at our airports are saying: the Democrat DHS shutdown has become an emergency.

“TSA officers are now losing their homes and cars, struggling to put food on the table, and are experiencing all-around financial catastrophe because of this extended shutdown, the third they’ve experienced in just six months. Travelers are facing record-breaking wait times, stretching hours and hours long, causing missed flights, unnecessary delays, and booking headaches. This crisis is a direct result of chaos unleashed on the American people by Democrats in Congress.”

The FBI said in a press statement: “The FBI can assure the traveling public there is no continuing threat related to this incident,” the agency said in a statement. An investigation is currently underway, with authorities conducting interviews. The FBI will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia to determine if federal charges will be filed.

What Happens Next

President Donald Trump has directed the TSA to use available funds to resume pay for workers and provide back pay. However, officials have said it remains unclear how quickly normal airport operations will be restored.

The FBI is investigating the incident, according to multiple reports.

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