Alaska Airlines Flight from Atlanta to Seattle diverted to Spokane International Airport on July 5, 2023, following a bomb threat.
The flight #AS334 made an unscheduled landing in Spokane, Washington state after a man handed a flight attendant a note claiming he possessed “several pounds of homemade explosives” in the carry-on luggage and had a detonator on him.
After being informed about the threat, the flight attendant immediately notified the captain and co-pilot, resulting in the rerouting of the aircraft.
The Boeing 737-9 (reg. N948AK) had 177 passengers and six crew members on board at the time of the incident.
According to documents filed in US District Court, the Kentucky man demanded that the aircraft be rerouted to an alternate airport and threatened to “detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board” if the plane landed in Seattle.
According to Alaska Airlines, the flight had “safely landed at 5:15 p.m. Pacific time” and “local and federal law enforcement were immediately notified and met the aircraft upon arrival”.
The incident caused several other flights out of Spokane International Airport to be delayed.
When interviewed by law enforcement, the passenger admitted to making the false bomb threat. Apparently he had hoped that the false information would divert the flight so that he could avoid being targeted by cartel members, who he claimed were waiting for him in Seattle with plans to torture and kill him.
He further alarmed investigators by revealing alternative plans he had considered using to divert the flight, which included attempting to open a cabin door mid-flight or assaulting a flight attendant.