On Tuesday a Delta Air Lines passenger was arrested in Austin “for allegedly making a terroristic threat.”
The man was onboard a flight headed for Atlanta. A flight attendant “asked him to move his briefcase,” and she reported to the captain that he said the briefcase might contain one of three things: “money, a bomb or a gun.” The passenger was arrested.
According to Delta,
After an initial delay due to severe weather, Delta flight 1071 became further delayed by a customer disturbance that necessitated the involvement of local law enforcement. We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels.
Delta Gates In Austin
In 1972 George Carlin laid out the “seven words you can neve say on television.” There are also words you can’t say at an airport or on an airplane. One of them is “bomb.” Another is saying “hi” to your friend “Jack” as passengers did at the security checkpoint in the 1980 comedy Airplane!
Isn’t it obvious, though, that someone who makes an off-handed remark about a bomb, or jokes about a bomb, doesn’t have a bomb? It’s like Chandler said in Friends after being detained at the airport,
I was just making a joke. I know the sign says no jokes about bombs, but shouldn’t the sign really say “no bombs.” I mean isn’t that the guy we really have to worry about here, the guy with the bombs? Not the guy who jokes about his bombs, not that I have bombs, because if I did I probably wouldn’t joke about about them. I’d probably want to keep that rather quiet.
Of course it’s not just ‘bomb’ or ‘hi, jack’ that may get you in trouble. There are a lot more words you cannot say in an airport or on a plane without risk.
Even naming your wifi hotspot ‘Samsung Galaxy Note 7″ or ‘bomb on board’ can get you in trouble. Even someone saying ‘bomba’ on a United flight got passengers deplaned in 2018. Snapchatting a friend that you’re a ‘terrorist with womens’ hearts can be enough to cause trouble, if your seat opponent can see your screen.
Never comment about shadows, even a poor jest, in a country scared of its own.
What a s**t for brains. You can fix ignorance but you can’t fix stupid. Toss him off the flight and ban him. There is NO EXCUSE and NO LEEWAY when it comes to even hinting a terrorist action.
So it wasn’t a bomb or a gun in the briefcase. How much money went missing during the inspection?
There was a case last year where someone got arrested and trespassed from the Orlando airport for making a similar joke.
https://www.clickorlando.com/news/local/2023/02/03/spirit-airlines-fees-prompts-bomb-threat-at-orlando-airport-police-say/
Coke machine trash being Coke machine trash. Nothing new here.
In light of the numerous recent articles on Asset Forfeiture and the CBP theft of cash off the Private Jet this week, that’s a good one, @jns !!!
I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again. My mother, (1913-2012) saw a lot. Her stock answer to ridiculous statements and actions by folks in general and politicians in particular was simple, “People are stupid.”
He’s a (maybe now formerly) a VP of Sales for a security company. He appears only to endanger the T&E budget. Like something Michael from The Office would joke about. Oops, FAFO.
Is this why I’ve never heard Ritchy Valenz’ La Bamba played in an airport?
Dude, is an idiot and out of touch for reality. There is ZERO ROOM for these types of off the cuff jokes in certain environments. Flying/travel is a privelage, not a right.
You clearly are naive and need to come to the realization that these are very serious matters. I can guarantee you would not be trying to justify you “stupid remarks” if you have been close to someone who has their plane blown up, and so forth.
Don’t be a child and follow the damn rules. Or you can drive or just stay home.
It’s that simple.
Airport security is a joke, they will jump all,over this and give you shit about carrying a small Pen screwdriver and br8nging a small bag of potato chips thru security but yet the airlines will give you knives with your international meals? And when you report this to the FBI they do nothing? Literally on a Turkish Airlines flight from Instanbul right there in terrorist central and they give you a knife with your meal like it doesn’t matter, but the same airport takes a small toolkit I use to repair my laptop because I forgot it in my carryon and had already checked my suitcase. Same security idiot claims that terrorists are making bomb that look like potato chips hahaha….and overseas they don’t make you take your shoes and belt off but every single US airport does like it is something that is going to stop a terrorist and yet TSA routinely fails at finding shot in carryon tests….hope you sheep feel safe giving up your shoes and belts morons.
Wtf does coke machine trash mean?
Sure the passenger was dumb to make that joke but he and his briefcase had already been cleared by TSA. Why could DELTA think what he said could be anything other than the joke it was?
@John
Walter was hurt and dumped by a flight attendant. So he blames them for everything. Tool I know
1913 to 2012; wow she’s a long lifer.
John – reference to FA’s being talking coke machines.
Tim – I was too busy doing your mommy’s ass to worry about an FA.
“Flying/travel is a privelage (sic), not a right.”
This sort of comment is characteristic of what passes as an American nowadays, obedient to the fatherland. Flying a particular airline is not a right (and not necessarily a privilege), but moving around in any way possible is certainly a right. It’s hard to imagine that just a few decades ago Americans were horrified that communist countries restricted migration; now many Americans make a hobby out of finding new ways to limit freedom that would have made Stalin smile.