Passenger Claims to Have an Explosive Device After Missing Flight

According to passengers, a woman at the Phoenix airport claimed a bomb was in her bag so that the airline would have her bag removed from the airplane after she missed her flight.

Reports came out on January 24 of a bomb scare at the Phoenix airport. It was later revealed the scare was a hoax and the woman claiming that there was a bomb in her bag was making a false report.

The passenger was identified as 53-year-old Hope L. Webber. Following the incident, she was arrested on suspicion of false emergency reporting and making a false terrorism report after officers and the bomb squad, who were called to the scene, failed to find any such explosive device.

Part of the terminal was evacuated, and the American Airlines flight from Phoenix to Salt Lake City, Utah, was delayed while the baggage was removed.

“On 24 January, American Airlines requested police to meet flight AA648 prior to departure,” said a statement from the airline.

Some passengers took to Twitter to express their anger over the flight delay, including Katie Hinsen, who shared that some passengers were missing funerals and work because of the delay.

“She thought having her bag on the same flight as her was more important than the 100-something other folks with places to be. The family missing a funeral. The folks missing career ops at @sundance. I hope she goes on a no-fly list,” Hinsen tweeted followed by a photo of the bomb squad.