Alaska Airlines passenger sentenced for bomb threat causing major disruption

An Alaska Airlines passenger who made a bomb threat on a flight will serve nearly two years in prison. The incident took place on July 5, 2023, when the passenger handed a note to a flight attendant stating, “There is a bomb on the plane. This is not a joke.”

According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), Brandon L. Scott, 40, was responsible for the incident on an Alaska Airlines flight from Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport to Seattle Tacoma International Airport. He has been sentenced to three years of supervised release and ordered to pay $79,449.47 in restitution to Alaska Airlines and Spokane International Airport.

On the day of the incident, Scott gave a note to a flight attendant claiming there was a bomb onboard and instructing that the flight be diverted from Seattle to another airport. Upon receiving this threat, the flight crew notified air traffic control (ATC), resulting in the diversion of the aircraft to Spokane International Airport in Washington. The airport had to implement a ground stop for all aircraft, causing delays.