What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 5, 2023 a security event occurred on board a flight from atlanta, ga to seattle, WA (atl-sea). While in cruise, at approximately 1530 PDT (2:15 from sea) a passenger seated in 1A (passenger 1A) handed a note to the “a” flight attendant (fa) that stated he had a bomb in his carry-on, instructions to only notify the pilots and ground crew and demands to divert somewhere other than sea.
The fa notified the flight crew of the note and the captain followed privacy data omitted procedures for credible bomb threats, placed the aircraft in lockdown and followed additional threat level 3 procedures. The fa then passed a note back to passenger 1A saying that the pilots were notified and working on a place to divert. Passenger 1A remained seated and caused no additional disturbances.
The flight diverted to Spokane, WA (geg). The flight landed in geg at 1714 PDT, parked at taxiway C4 and was met by law enforcement officers (leos). Passenger 1A was removed without incident. Passenger 1A was placed under arrest by federal bureau of investigation (fbi) agents for threat to use explosives, 18 usc § 844(e).
All crew and passengers were deplaned and kept securely at geg airport rescue firefighting (ARFF) facilities (see attachment #2). All baggage and carry-ons were left on the aircraft, pending search and clearance by leos, including Spokane police department’s explosives disposal unit (edu). Passenger 1A’S carry-on was confiscated and destroyed by edu; he had no checked baggage.
During aircraft search, leos interviewed crewmembers and passengers seated nearby passenger 1A. Geg airport operations closed between 1714-1840 PDT; runway 8/26 and taxiway C4 remained closed during search.
Following search and clearance by leos, passengers were bussed to the terminal but kept isolated in a sterile area. The aircraft was towed to the terminal to allow return of baggage to passengers. There were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 5, 2023 A SECURITY EVENT OCCURRED ON BOARD A FLIGHT FROM ATLANTA, GA TO SEATTLE, WA (ATL-SEA). WHILE IN CRUISE, AT APPROXIMATELY 1530 PDT (2:15 FROM SEA) A PASSENGER SEATED IN 1A (PASSENGER 1A) HANDED A NOTE TO THE “A” FLIGHT ATTENDANT (FA) THAT STATED HE HAD A BOMB IN HIS CARRY-ON, INSTRUCTIONS TO ONLY NOTIFY THE PILOTS AND GROUND CREW AND DEMANDS TO DIVERT SOMEWHERE OTHER THAN SEA.
THE FA NOTIFIED THE FLIGHT CREW OF THE NOTE AND THE CAPTAIN FOLLOWED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ PROCEDURES FOR CREDIBLE BOMB THREATS, PLACED THE AIRCRAFT IN LOCKDOWN AND FOLLOWED ADDITIONAL THREAT LEVEL 3 PROCEDURES. THE FA THEN PASSED A NOTE BACK TO PASSENGER 1A SAYING THAT THE PILOTS WERE NOTIFIED AND WORKING ON A PLACE TO DIVERT. PASSENGER 1A REMAINED SEATED AND CAUSED NO ADDITIONAL DISTURBANCES.
THE FLIGHT DIVERTED TO SPOKANE, WA (GEG). THE FLIGHT LANDED IN GEG AT 1714 PDT, PARKED AT TAXIWAY C4 AND WAS MET BY LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS (LEOS). PASSENGER 1A WAS REMOVED WITHOUT INCIDENT. PASSENGER 1A WAS PLACED UNDER ARREST BY FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION (FBI) AGENTS FOR THREAT TO USE EXPLOSIVES, 18 USC § 844(E).
ALL CREW AND PASSENGERS WERE DEPLANED AND KEPT SECURELY AT GEG AIRPORT RESCUE FIREFIGHTING (ARFF) FACILITIES (SEE ATTACHMENT #2). ALL BAGGAGE AND CARRY-ONS WERE LEFT ON THE AIRCRAFT, PENDING SEARCH AND CLEARANCE BY LEOS, INCLUDING SPOKANE POLICE DEPARTMENT’S EXPLOSIVES DISPOSAL UNIT (EDU). PASSENGER 1A’S CARRY-ON WAS CONFISCATED AND DESTROYED BY EDU; HE HAD NO CHECKED BAGGAGE.
DURING AIRCRAFT SEARCH, LEOS INTERVIEWED CREWMEMBERS AND PASSENGERS SEATED NEARBY PASSENGER 1A. GEG AIRPORT OPERATIONS CLOSED BETWEEN 1714-1840 PDT; RUNWAY 8/26 AND TAXIWAY C4 REMAINED CLOSED DURING SEARCH.
FOLLOWING SEARCH AND CLEARANCE BY LEOS, PASSENGERS WERE BUSSED TO THE TERMINAL BUT KEPT ISOLATED IN A STERILE AREA. THE AIRCRAFT WAS TOWED TO THE TERMINAL TO ALLOW RETURN OF BAGGAGE TO PASSENGERS. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.