A passenger's comment about a bomb led to their arrest and the disruption of hundreds of flights at Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. While an Alaska Airlines flight headed towards Walla Walla was taxiing to the runway, the passenger mentioned a bomb, making a remark that was deemed "flippant" according to a statement by the Port of Seattle obtained by KOMO News. This triggered a significant response, causing delays and cancellations that rippled outward into the day's travel schedule.
Handling the incident with a high degree of caution, operations at Sea-Tac were swiftly impacted. Other affected flights included six cancellations and two diversions, as detailed by the Seattle Times. The situation prompted approximately 400 flight delays, a statistic confirmed by Flightradar24. The passenger, responsible for the halt, made the threat directly to a flight attendant which was perceived as "a direct threat to the safety of the aircraft," as reported by KING 5.
The incident had a significant impact on travelers' plans, as SEA undertook necessary precautions to ensure passenger safety. Following an investigation into the remarks, the airport's officials emphasized the gravity with which they treat all potential threats. "We are working to get all guests to their destinations safely and as quickly as possible," stated the Port’s representatives, indicating their commitment to resolving the disruption while maintaining a secure environment, as reported by the Seattle Times.
Service resumed later in the afternoon with the reopening of the center runway at 1:45 p.m. and the final runway a half-hour later. Passengers, stranded because of the incident, were deplaned and transferred by bus for rebooking procedures. By 3 p.m., the affected aircraft was cleared and towed back to the terminal, according to a report by KOMO News. Officials have not released further information about the passenger in custody or their motive for making the bomb remark.
