OAKLAND (KRON) — A Southwest Airlines passenger was arrested Tuesday at Oakland International Airport after he allegedly threatened to blow up the plane, according to a spokesman for the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office said.
Arpan Shah, 32, of Maryland, was arrested around 2:30 p.m. when Southwest Airlines flight 5135 returned to Gate 6, authorities said.
The Baltimore-bound plane had left the gate and was taxiing out to lift off when the pilot turned around.
Passengers told deputies that Shah made several threats to blow up the plane in the air.
Shah was arrested on suspicion of making felony criminal threats. Federal charges are pending.
All the passengers got off the plane and were screened again before reboarding.
Bomb technicians and bomb-detecting dogs also rechecked each bag and every compartment of the plane to see if there was a bomb.
Shah, who was flying to Baltimore from Southern California, was taken to the county jail in Oakland.
The plane was delayed about an hour. It landed safely in Baltimore.Bay City News contributed to this report