Table of Contents
Incident Overview
A Frontier Airlines passenger made a verbal bomb threat while their flight was taxiing at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, March 29, forcing the aircraft to be diverted to a remote location for an emergency evacuation.
Frontier Flight 2539, an Airbus A320 from Columbus, Ohio, had already landed and was taxiing to its assigned gate when the passenger made the threat. In coordination with law enforcement, the plane was directed away from the terminal and parked at a remote area while authorities responded.
Pilot’s Urgent Call to Tower
Air traffic control audio captured the pilot’s urgent communication about the situation onboard. The pilot reported that the passenger was threatening a woman seated next to him in addition to claiming he had explosives.
“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 told the tower, according to audio cited by Atlanta’s 11Alive.
Response and Investigation
Passengers were deplaned using airstairs and transported by bus to the terminal while authorities conducted their investigation. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now leading the investigation, describing the individual as an “unruly passenger”. Atlanta Police initially responded and determined the incident was not being investigated as a hijacking.
After a thorough search, officials determined there was no credible threat, and no explosives were found onboard. No injuries were reported.
The FBI is coordinating with the Atlanta Police Department and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office of the Northern District of Georgia to determine whether federal charges will be filed against the passenger.
Flight Details
The incident remains under investigation by federal authorities.
