Granted: a real bomb threat is indeed far more severe than a false one. However, it’s universally accepted that false threats are disruptive for everyone involved – passengers, airlines, airports, traffic control, other flights, crews, police, the list goes on. More often than not, the culprit faces criminal charges and an airline blacklist, preventing them from ever flying with the company again.
Now, imagine the shockwave that reverberated through Argentina when a false bomb threat was made to an Aerolíneas Argentinas’ flight to Miami. The person detained by the police was none other than an active flight attendant of Aerolíneas Argentinas.
The Lead-Up to Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 1304
The incident started when Aerolíneas Argentinas Flight 1304, scheduled to take off from Buenos Aires’ Ezeiza International Airport for Miami International on Sunday, May 21 around 07:30 AM local time, was heading to the runway. Suddenly, a call came in: «Tell the captain we have placed three bombs on the Miami plane. He must leave politics and the union, or he will be blown to pieces.» Although the voice was digitally altered, the message was undoubtedly serious.
As per standard protocol, the Airbus A330-200 with registration LV-FVH halted the take-off procedure and was directed to a remote area. The passengers disembarked, and both they and the plane underwent thorough inspection. Hours later, at 16:50 local time, the flight to Miami finally departed, carrying all 270 passengers and 12 crew members.
An Unexpected Arrest
While it’s typically expected that someone will eventually face charges for such a threat, this case stands apart. On May 28, the police arrested a flight attendant, whose name we are withholding, as the suspect responsible for the call that cost the airline around one million dollars.
Surprisingly, the motive doesn’t seem rooted in political conspiracy, a union internal battle, or a terrorist plot. Various sources suggest that the flight attendant made the call out of spite, as a colleague she was romantically involved with some months ago was onboard and on duty, traveling with his new love interest.
Details continue to emerge, and while some need verification, it’s been established that the political reference in the threat was a decoy, intended to misdirect the impending investigation. Some media outlets speculated wildly, incorporating the government, the Pilot’s Union (APLA), and the intricate political situation that state-owned Aerolíneas Argentinas constantly navigates, but the truth was much simpler. At least, for the rest of us.
Aerolíneas Argentinas Responds
The company confirmed that the detained individual is indeed an active staff member, and a penal investigation is underway. They stated, «if the accusation and the offense are proven, the company will sanction the person under investigation proportionally to the severity of the act.»
As this story continues to unfold, one fact remains unequivocal: bomb threats are no laughing matter. Making one against your own employer? That’s a plot twist nobody saw coming.
