SEATTLE -- A pair of Oregon-based fighter jets escorted an Alaska Airlines flight into Sea-Tac Airport Thursday night after the FBI got word of a potential hijack threat on board.
The two F-15 fighter jets were scrambled from the Oregon Air National Guard base in Portland and escorted the plane -- which originated in Kona, Hawaii -- the rest of the way to Sea-Tac, according to Alaska Air officials.
FBI special agent Tom Simon said agents received an anonymous call Thursday evening warning of a potential highjack threat on the flight. The plane landed at 7:12 p.m. -- 3 minutes early -- and one passenger was taken into custody.
PHX787 From Japan, joined Mar 2012, 4973 posts, RR: 14 Reply 1, posted (4 months 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 10305 times:
Well this is an interesting development....What kind of hijack attempt could he possibly attempt?! With all of the security measures in place, there's no way that guy could have made anything happen.....
but I will reserve my judgement and say this could have been a god-awful prank
787seattle From United States of America, joined Feb 2008, 641 posts, RR: 0 Reply 2, posted (4 months 6 days 3 hours ago) and read 9806 times:
Most recent reports say it was a hoax or some kind of nasty prank. The suspected passenger was asleep most of the flight and unaware of what was happening. The FBI released him after questioning.
AA737-823 From United States of America, joined Mar 2000, 5341 posts, RR: 11 Reply 3, posted (4 months 6 days 1 hour ago) and read 9349 times:
Terrible, terrible, terrible. I hope the prankster is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and charged with the costs of the double fighter escort, so that I CAN GET MY TAX MONEY BACK.
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 1): Well this is an interesting development....What kind of hijack attempt could he possibly attempt?! With all of the security measures in place, there's no way that guy could have made anything happen.....
Yes, well, that's what we would have said on September 10th, isn't it?
LTBEWR From United States of America, joined Jan 2004, 12335 posts, RR: 12 Reply 6, posted (4 months 6 days ago) and read 9105 times:
Perhaps this person was drunk, on some drugs and had a bad side-affects or perhaps mentally ill, said some dumb things and see as a threat. It also could have been an overreaction to some behavior of that pax.
HPRamper From United States of America, joined May 2005, 3664 posts, RR: 8 Reply 8, posted (4 months 5 days 23 hours ago) and read 8859 times:
Quoting francoflier (Reply 7): Still, the two pilots in there must have felt a bit queasy having those 2 F-15s ready to shoot them down at any wrong move...
They were probably communicating with them the entire time over the radio and it was doubtless understood that it was only procedural and precautionary - seeing as the flight crew would be the first to know if a hijack was underway.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21244 posts, RR: 19 Reply 9, posted (4 months 5 days 22 hours ago) and read 8565 times:
Quoting LTBEWR (Reply 6): Perhaps this person was drunk, on some drugs and had a bad side-affects or perhaps mentally ill, said some dumb things and see as a threat. It also could have been an overreaction to some behavior of that pax.
It would appear that his behavior had nothing to do with this. From the Seattle Times blog post:
Quote: The passenger questioned by agents was named as a security threat by someone who called the FBI this afternoon, according Honolulu-based FBI agent Tom Simon.
Bad day for him. Hopefully, a worse day for whoever called it in.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
catiii From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 2279 posts, RR: 3 Reply 10, posted (4 months 5 days 19 hours ago) and read 8072 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 3): Yes, well, that's what we would have said on September 10th, isn't it?
No, it isn't. Hardened cockpit doors, FAM's, cabin and cockpit crews aho are trained to not give up the flight deck, and a passenger group that is much more aware post 9/11 make a hijacking in today's world nearly impossible.
suseJ772 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 625 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (4 months 5 days 17 hours ago) and read 5879 times:
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 11): That's my point. Of course we have had hiccups such as the NW attempted bombing. But this is a domestic flight.
No one said a boming was nearly impossible. In fact given the Cargo and Airport security plane side, I feel that is a matter of when than if.
However, I agree with what everyone else said. A highjacking is just not going to happen ever again. The biggest reason of all: the more informed passenger group. Unless a highjacking is willing to have a 1 to 1 + 1 ratio of people. It just ain't going to happen.
You've all missed my point; my point was that we had a similar feeling of security and safety on September 10th. Then, things forever changed. Uninterrupted complacency in aviation ALWAYS leads to loss.
That said, I think all three of you are a bit naive. Yeah, we've taken lots of steps, like patting down grandmas and taking nude pictures of hot moms. But how much faith do you REALLY have in that set of personnel-restraint zip-ties???
I DO agree, at least, that as a passenger, I'm not really interested in the "play along and no one gets hurt" mentality. I think that all of us, anymore, would rather die trying to tackle a hijacker than die as a result of being hijacked.
hhslax2 From Bahrain, joined Jan 2012, 93 posts, RR: 0 Reply 14, posted (4 months 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 4875 times:
Quoting suseJ772 (Reply 12): A highjacking is just not going to happen ever again. The biggest reason of all: the more informed passenger group. Unless a highjacking is willing to have a 1 to 1 + 1 ratio of people. It just ain't going to happen.
I could see it happening at some point based upon observations from flying a lot of BAH-KWI-IAD r/t's.
1) Relatively lax security at KWI.
2) Air marshalls are easy to spot and don't hide the fact that they are air marshalls well at all.
3) Aisles create a funnel effect, so the whole plane can't take on highjackers at one time.
Cubsrule From United States of America, joined May 2004, 21244 posts, RR: 19 Reply 15, posted (4 months 5 days 15 hours ago) and read 4838 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 13): That said, I think all three of you are a bit naive. Yeah, we've taken lots of steps, like patting down grandmas and taking nude pictures of hot moms. But how much faith do you REALLY have in that set of personnel-restraint zip-ties???
When the alleged hijacker is asleep, I think the zip ties will work well. This is a worthwhile discussion, but it's wholly irrelevant to this particular incident.
I can't decide whether I miss the tulip or the bowling shoe more
WJ From United Kingdom, joined Feb 2006, 339 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (4 months 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 4251 times:
Quoting PHX787 (Reply 1): Well this is an interesting development....What kind of hijack attempt could he possibly attempt?! With all of the security measures in place, there's no way that guy could have made anything happen.....
It was Manti T'eo onboard... His Girlfriend called it in...
FRAspotter From United States of America, joined May 2004, 2316 posts, RR: 10 Reply 17, posted (4 months 5 days 11 hours ago) and read 2857 times:
Quoting aviatorcraig (Reply 4): Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 3):
charged with the costs of the double fighter escort, so that I CAN GET MY TAX MONEY BACK.
Look at it as quality training time!
Which is what it ends up being... this would come out to nothing more than a training mission for the pilots once it comes down to it. Whether it was a hijacking hoax or a routine mission where they takeoff, fly around and return, the plane was still flying. This kind of stuff is put into the military budget. If the only time that pilots flew was during a real world event than the pilots would lose their certifications quickly. These are multimillion dollar jet which costs more to fly than many passenger jets. Fuel alone would break the bank for the average person... So to say that they should "cover the costs of the fighter escort" would be totally unrealistic.
"Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak."
F9animal From United States of America, joined Dec 2004, 4736 posts, RR: 30 Reply 19, posted (4 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1112 times:
Its just a matter of time before they arrest the caller. I dont understand why people think doing these kinds of things wont result in serious results.
longhauler From Canada, joined Mar 2004, 4281 posts, RR: 36 Reply 20, posted (4 months 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 1062 times:
Quoting AA737-823 (Reply 3): Terrible, terrible, terrible. I hope the prankster is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law, and charged with the costs of the double fighter escort, so that I CAN GET MY TAX MONEY BACK.
In 2012, the United States military budget was over a Trillion dollars! I don't think this exercise was more than a minor drop in a huge bucket.
Twice in the last 10 years, while flying in the US, I have been asked if they can "practise" on us, and was escorted to the runway. I always agreed, it is necessary to protect one's nation. I don't know how often they do this, or if I am just "lucky" but it was great to watch.
Once in a B767 in LAX, and once in an E175 in DCA.
Never gonna grow up, never gonna slow down .... Barefoot Blue Jean Night
suseJ772 From United States of America, joined Aug 2005, 625 posts, RR: 1 Reply 22, posted (4 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 906 times:
Quoting mayor (Reply 21): Considering that cargo (not counting mail) is supposed to be 100% scanned, now, it's more a case of never, rather than when or if.
Not counting mail is the key there. And Airport Security plane side is a pretty big hole there as well from what I understand.
mayor From United States of America, joined Mar 2008, 9197 posts, RR: 14 Reply 23, posted (4 months 4 days 14 hours ago) and read 875 times:
Quoting suseJ772 (Reply 22): And Airport Security plane side is a pretty big hole there as well from what I understand.
Do you want to relate, how?
Quoting suseJ772 (Reply 22): Not counting mail is the key there.
If a terrorist wants to mail something, there's hardly any guarantee what flight it will be on, if at all. It could end up on a truck which sort of takes away the terroristic factor, don't you think?
"A committee is a group of the unprepared, appointed by the unwilling, to do the unnecessary"----Fred Allen
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