FLIGHTS THREATENED, INCLUDING SOUTHWEST PLANE FROM SAN DIEGO

By Miriam Raftery

January 26, 2015 (San Diego) – Multiple flights have received threats posted on Twitter in recent days, including a threat against a Southwest flight from San Diego to Dallas.  All of the threats proved false – but not before causing added screenings and concerns.

The threat against the Southwest flight out of Lindbergh Field were among six flights threatened on Monday.  The locally-originated flight was threatened by an account called @ISISgangCP.  The threat claimed that flight 4200 had a “massive semi-nuclear explosive on board.” The tweet claimed that if the bomb failed, “I will shoot the plane,” 10 News reports.

FBI special agent Darrell Foxworth assured that the plane landed safely in Dallas and that all passengers were rescreened before the flight continued to its next destination.

Southwest has issued a statement indicating it takes all threats seriously and that the airline is working with authorities to assure the safety of all flights. The company policy is not to comment further on security matters.

Military fighter jets were dispatched to escort two flights by Delta and Southwest into Atlanta over the weekend, according to the North American Defense Command.

Additional threats were made Monday against flights by Jet Blue, U.S. Airways and Delta.

The Twitter accounts operated by those who made the threats have been suspended, NBC News in Dallas reports.

Those headaches for air travelers came on the heels of 4,500 flights grounded nationwide due to a blizzard that hit the East Coast, including eight flights cancelled out of San Diego.