Narrative:

A passenger in first class jokingly declares he has a bomb in his suitcase at his feet and that is his reason for not stowing his 'roller board' after being instructed by 3 different flight attendants to do so. (His interpreter relays his message to us.) the #1 flight attendant reports the 'joke' to the cockpit. They contact auths. The passenger bags are searched. The passenger bags from below, in baggage, are removed and x-rayed. The passenger, his belongings, and his interpreter are removed from the flight. What bothers me is the way it was handled. Whomever the auths were that searched his bags were -- they opened his bags on the jetbridge and took everything out -- at the opened entry door! If they truly thought this as a serious threat, why would they search the bags right next to a full flight of passenger? Was their safety and the entire crews' safety not at risk here? I mentioned this observation and received no explanation! I was looked at briefly and my question was ignored! Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: reporter states that she did no further follow up with the company after the flight crew blew her off when she questioned the situation. She has no idea what was found when the passenger baggage was x-rayed, but that is when the decision to remove the passenger was made. Reporter was advised of the hotline since she is still frustrated by the handling of the incident by security.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: FLT ATTENDANT RPT REGARDING A PAX WHO JOKED ABOUT HAVING A BOMB IN HIS CASE AT HIS FEET. HE HAD BEEN ASKED TO PLACE IT IN THE OVERHEAD AND THAT WAS HIS EXCUSE FOR NOT STOWING IT. HIS BAG WAS TAKEN AND CHKED, BUT RIGHT IN THE JETWAY. HIS BAGGAGE FROM THE CARGO HOLD WAS REMOVED AND X-RAYED. PAX WAS THEN REMOVED FROM THE ACFT.

Narrative: A PAX IN FIRST CLASS JOKINGLY DECLARES HE HAS A BOMB IN HIS SUITCASE AT HIS FEET AND THAT IS HIS REASON FOR NOT STOWING HIS 'ROLLER BOARD' AFTER BEING INSTRUCTED BY 3 DIFFERENT FLT ATTENDANTS TO DO SO. (HIS INTERPRETER RELAYS HIS MESSAGE TO US.) THE #1 FLT ATTENDANT RPTS THE 'JOKE' TO THE COCKPIT. THEY CONTACT AUTHS. THE PAX BAGS ARE SEARCHED. THE PAX BAGS FROM BELOW, IN BAGGAGE, ARE REMOVED AND X-RAYED. THE PAX, HIS BELONGINGS, AND HIS INTERPRETER ARE REMOVED FROM THE FLT. WHAT BOTHERS ME IS THE WAY IT WAS HANDLED. WHOMEVER THE AUTHS WERE THAT SEARCHED HIS BAGS WERE -- THEY OPENED HIS BAGS ON THE JETBRIDGE AND TOOK EVERYTHING OUT -- AT THE OPENED ENTRY DOOR! IF THEY TRULY THOUGHT THIS AS A SERIOUS THREAT, WHY WOULD THEY SEARCH THE BAGS RIGHT NEXT TO A FULL FLT OF PAX? WAS THEIR SAFETY AND THE ENTIRE CREWS' SAFETY NOT AT RISK HERE? I MENTIONED THIS OBSERVATION AND RECEIVED NO EXPLANATION! I WAS LOOKED AT BRIEFLY AND MY QUESTION WAS IGNORED! CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: RPTR STATES THAT SHE DID NO FURTHER FOLLOW UP WITH THE COMPANY AFTER THE FLC BLEW HER OFF WHEN SHE QUESTIONED THE SIT. SHE HAS NO IDEA WHAT WAS FOUND WHEN THE PAX BAGGAGE WAS X-RAYED, BUT THAT IS WHEN THE DECISION TO REMOVE THE PAX WAS MADE. RPTR WAS ADVISED OF THE HOTLINE SINCE SHE IS STILL FRUSTRATED BY THE HANDLING OF THE INCIDENT BY SECURITY.

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.