A 23-year-old Michigan man has been arrested after allegedly making a fake bomb threat to delay a Spirit Airlines flight he’d missed. According to officials, the initial threat was reported around 6:25 a.m. at Detroit Metropolitan Airport. The man, who missed Flight 2145 to Los Angeles, called Spirit Airlines claiming someone planned to “blow up that flight” and warned the bomb would evade TSA screening. This led to an immediate evacuation and a full security sweep involving bomb-sniffing dogs and FBI agents. No threat was found, but the flight was delayed for six hours and passengers underwent re-screening.
Investigators traced the call to the man’s phone and arrested him later at the airport after he returned to book a new flight to Los Angeles. When presented with the recording, he reportedly admitted to making the call in hopes of delaying the flight long enough to board it. He was charged with conveying false information regarding an explosive on an aircraft and committing a hoax—offenses that carry a combined maximum prison sentence of 15 years. Federal authorities released him on a $10,000 bond, with his next court date scheduled for June 27.
The U.S. Attorney emphasized the fallout from such hoaxes: they drain law enforcement and aviation resources, threaten public safety, and sow unnecessary fear. In response to the incident, Spirit Airlines reaffirmed its commitment to passenger safety and noted that all safety protocols were followed to ensure the flight departed as soon as possible.
As the investigation continues, this alarming episode highlights how a single flight delay can spiral into a full-blown security crisis—all sparked by what authorities describe as a desperate, misguided act.
