A Philippine Airlines (PAL) flight from Tacloban to Manila was delayed for over an hour on Friday evening after an elderly passenger joked about having a bomb in her luggage, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) reported.
CAAP received a report about the incident at approximately 6:30 p.m. local time. The passenger, described as a senior citizen traveling alone, was on board PAL flight 2P-2988 when the incident occurred.
According to the initial report, the woman made the remark while crew members were assisting her with her luggage. “She said that her bag was heavy because it contained a bomb,” CAAP stated in a media advisory.
Following standard security protocols, the passenger was immediately removed from the aircraft and taken into custody by the Philippine National Police (PNP) Aviation Security Group for questioning.
The incident caused significant disruption to flight operations, affecting numerous passengers, including several congressmen who were returning from the “Bagong Pilipinas Serbisyo Fair,” a government outreach program.
Passengers were eventually allowed to board the aircraft at 8:05 p.m., after security personnel had thoroughly inspected the plane and luggage.
Authorities remind travelers to refrain from making any statements that could be interpreted as security threats, even in jest, as they can lead to flight delays, cancellations, and legal consequences.
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