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On February 7, an American Airlines flight from Austin, Texas, to Charlotte, North Carolina, was delayed due to a WiFi hotspot with a concerning name. The flight was scheduled to depart around 1:40 p.m., but passengers noticed a hotspot named "There is a bomb on the flight." This prompted immediate action from the crew and law enforcement.
Passengers alerted flight attendants about the alarming message. The pilots were informed, and the plane returned to the gate for further investigation by local law enforcement. An officer addressed the passengers, stating, "If this is a joke, please raise your hand now because we can deal with the practical joke differently than this if we have to do a full-blown investigation of what's going on here."
Despite efforts to identify who created the hotspot name, no one came forward. Passengers deplaned and presented their mobile hotspots for inspection. Additional security measures included screening all checked bags and using a specially trained dog to sniff through luggage.
