A passenger was arrested after allegedly making a bomb threat on an Allegiant Air flight on Sunday. Taj Malik Taylor, a 27-year-old from Largo, Florida, reportedly informed another passenger that his laptop was an explosive device during flight 1023, which was en route to Roanoke, Virginia, after taking off from St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport.
According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, the alarming statement was promptly reported by other passengers to the flight crew, leading to an emergency return to the departure airport. Upon landing, K9 units conducted a thorough search of Taylor’s belongings and found no explosives.
Following his arrest, Taylor was charged with providing false information and threats and was processed at the jail before being released about 11 hours later. An investigation led by the FBI revealed that Taylor had made the comment after being provoked by another passenger and mentioned he had recently been discharged from a mental health facility.
Allegiant Air condemned Taylor’s behavior, emphasizing their zero-tolerance policy for such disruptions and confirmed that the safety of passengers is their top priority. As an apology for the inconvenience caused, the airline offered each passenger a $100 voucher for future travels.
Source: www.foxnews.com
