A passenger who missed his flight from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia on Wednesday threatened to blow up the plane, authorities said.
Two American Airlines gate agents at Pittsburgh International Airport called Allegheny police after the passenger claimed there was a bomb inside his checked bags after he missed his boarding time, WTAE reported.
In response, officials partially locked down the B concourse and deplaned over 100 punctual passengers who were already boarded and awaiting takeoff.
Police searched the aircraft with bomb-sniffing dogs and X-ray machines, but found no threats.
Hossein Dehnavifard, a 37-year-old Iranian national, was taken to Allegheny County jail, WPVI reported.
He was charged with making terroristic threats and threatening to use weapons of mass destruction, police told WTAE.
Dehnavifard was released on Thursday on a non-monetary bond, county officials said.
Two American Airlines gate agents at Pittsburgh International Airport called Allegheny police. WPXI
Passengers on a flight from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia were forced to evacuate before takeoff after a late passenger made a bomb threat. WPVI
Hossein Dehnavifard, 37, was charged with making terroristic threats and threatening with weapons of mass destruction. Hossein Dehnavifard / LinkedInA similar situation unfolded in Las Vegas just last week when a “disgruntled” passenger who had also missed his flight there may be explosives in his luggage that had already been loaded onto the plane.
Dehnavifard was released on Thursday on a non-monetary bond, county officials said. WPVILas Vegas police arrested the passenger and notified police at LAX, where the plane was bound, about the possible threat, which they determined to be unfounded.
