Narrative:

After crew boarding, cabin service found a paper sack under a seat in row 9 stating that 'do not open below 10000 ft and in seat or anything could happen.' no passengers were about the aircraft at the time, and the aircraft had previously arrived from sju and stx. I interpreted this as a possible bomb threat and had the crew and cleaners leave the aircraft as a precaution. We called our ramp control and requested them to send security and notify the company of our situation. The lead gate agent came down the jet bridge and I informed her of the situation and to delay boarding. The next thing I knew, she was walking out the aircraft door carrying the suspect sack. When I asked her 'what the hell she was doing,' she said that she picked up the package to read it, and figured she would carry it off since she had already moved it. Fortunately, the package was false, but I still had it placed on the ramp until security could check it out. The agent asked one of the flight attendants if the flight might still depart on schedule. The aircraft was searched and all through passengers had to claim and inspect their luggage for any unknown objects. None were found. The flight departed approximately 1:30 hour later using a substituted aircraft. I am concerned about agents disregard for safety in order to be 'on time.' this was not the first time our airline had this exact same problem. All agents need some sort of security training and emphasis away from the industry's on time pressure.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: DEP TKOF DELAY CREATED BY SUSPECTED BOMB THREAT.

Narrative: AFTER CREW BOARDING, CABIN SVC FOUND A PAPER SACK UNDER A SEAT IN ROW 9 STATING THAT 'DO NOT OPEN BELOW 10000 FT AND IN SEAT OR ANYTHING COULD HAPPEN.' NO PAXS WERE ABOUT THE ACFT AT THE TIME, AND THE ACFT HAD PREVIOUSLY ARRIVED FROM SJU AND STX. I INTERPRETED THIS AS A POSSIBLE BOMB THREAT AND HAD THE CREW AND CLEANERS LEAVE THE ACFT AS A PRECAUTION. WE CALLED OUR RAMP CTL AND REQUESTED THEM TO SEND SECURITY AND NOTIFY THE COMPANY OF OUR SITUATION. THE LEAD GATE AGENT CAME DOWN THE JET BRIDGE AND I INFORMED HER OF THE SITUATION AND TO DELAY BOARDING. THE NEXT THING I KNEW, SHE WAS WALKING OUT THE ACFT DOOR CARRYING THE SUSPECT SACK. WHEN I ASKED HER 'WHAT THE HELL SHE WAS DOING,' SHE SAID THAT SHE PICKED UP THE PACKAGE TO READ IT, AND FIGURED SHE WOULD CARRY IT OFF SINCE SHE HAD ALREADY MOVED IT. FORTUNATELY, THE PACKAGE WAS FALSE, BUT I STILL HAD IT PLACED ON THE RAMP UNTIL SECURITY COULD CHK IT OUT. THE AGENT ASKED ONE OF THE FLT ATTENDANTS IF THE FLT MIGHT STILL DEPART ON SCHEDULE. THE ACFT WAS SEARCHED AND ALL THROUGH PAXS HAD TO CLAIM AND INSPECT THEIR LUGGAGE FOR ANY UNKNOWN OBJECTS. NONE WERE FOUND. THE FLT DEPARTED APPROX 1:30 HR LATER USING A SUBSTITUTED ACFT. I AM CONCERNED ABOUT AGENTS DISREGARD FOR SAFETY IN ORDER TO BE 'ON TIME.' THIS WAS NOT THE FIRST TIME OUR AIRLINE HAD THIS EXACT SAME PROBLEM. ALL AGENTS NEED SOME SORT OF SECURITY TRAINING AND EMPHASIS AWAY FROM THE INDUSTRY'S ON TIME PRESSURE.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.