Bomb threat delays Qantas flight

[Sarah C]

This hasn't been posted anywhere yet - source is SMH.com.au.

"More than 350 passengers and crew have been evacuated from a Sydney-bound Qantas flight from Los Angeles after a bomb threat.

Qantas flight 12 had been due to take off at 10am (0300 AEST) today from Los Angeles International Airport but was delayed after the security alert. A total 347 passengers and 20 crew were ordered off the plane.

No further details of bomb threat were available, a spokesman for Los Angeles World Airports said.

The plane was rescheduled to take off at 11pm (1600 AEST), officials said."

Looks like the QF12 was already delayed 10 hours if it was leaving in the morning.

Link to story here (with spelling errors) as well with a video - aircraft is VH-OEB (new livery).

http://cbs2.com/local/Quantas.Bomb.Threat.2.774675.html

[damien b]

Confirmed as a hoax on news.com.au

A BOMB threat against a Qantas flight bound for Australia at Los Angeles airport overnight was a hoax, the airline said today.

Qantas spokesman Lloyd Quartermaine said QF12, with more than 360 passengers and crew aboard, was grounded but was cleared to fly to Sydney tonight after an inspection.

"It has been assessed as a hoax, but as a precaution Qantas worked with US authorities to inspect the aircraft so it can resume operation," Mr Quartermaine said.

The flight was supposed to depart Los Angeles at 10am (3am AEST).

The 347 passengers and 20 crew members were boarding at the time of the threat and had to get off, according to an LAX spokeswoman.

Passengers were taken to hotels.

Mr Quartermaine said a new flight had been organised for passengers and would leave Los Angeles at 11pm (4pm AEST) today.

He said Qantas had been told of the threat by US authorities but declined to comment on the nature of the threat.

FBI spokeswoman Laura Eimiller said agents searched the plane and the luggage for about six hours but found no explosives.

Detectives were investigating who made the bomb threat.

Better to be safe than sorry these days.

[Sarah C]

Originally Posted by damien b

Confirmed as a hoax on news.com.au



Better to be safe than sorry these days.

Agree. You can't take any chances with this type of thing, no matter how inconvienent.