We see bomb threats impacting commercial aviation with some frequency. Sometimes it’s because a passenger misinterprets something. Sometimes it’s because a passenger is going to miss their flight, and they think it’s a smart way to delay it (it’s not). Well, here’s a different kind of bomb threat, which I find to be interesting on several levels…
In this post:
Allegiant Air flight returns to St. Petersburg over bomb threat
This incident happened on Monday, July 7, 2025, and involves Allegiant Air flight G41023, scheduled to operate from St. Petersburg, Florida (PIE), to Roanoke, Virginia (ROA). The flight was operated by an Airbus A320 with the registration code N275NV, with 183 people onboard.
The flight took off at 1:48PM local time, and was supposed to make the 90-minute flight to Roanoke. However, the plane didn’t make it very far, as it leveled off at 13,000 feet, and started turning back toward St. Petersburg just 10 minutes after takeoff. The plane touched down back in St. Petersburg at 2:08PM, just 20 minutes after departure.
So, what happened? Moments after takeoff, a 27-year-old Florida man seated in the last row told his seat mate, “my laptop is a bomb.”
In response, the seat mate asked “what do you mean you have a bomb?” He responded by saying “this is a bomb,” while holding up a black rectangular object, which was later determined to be his laptop in a black case.
The passenger then notified flight attendants, which caused the diversion. Once the plane was on the ground, police searched the passenger and interviewed him, and he was taken into custody. He has now been charged with making a false bomb threat.
There’s nothing funny about mental health issues, and here’s what makes this sad. While being interviewed, the man claimed that he had recently been released from a mental health facility, and “took his medication last night and was currently suffering from a lack of clarity,” according to the affidavit.
The flight ended up taking off again a little over four hours later, at 6:26PM, and landed at 7:57PM. In a statement, Allegiant shares that it “does not tolerate disruptive behavior of any kind, so the decision was made to return to the airport,” and that “the plane landed safely and was met by law enforcement officers, who took the passenger into custody.”
This is obviously an unfortunate situation on many levels:
- You can’t just totally ignore someone repeatedly claiming that they have a bomb
- Flight attendants also can’t do a mental health assessment on the spot, and decide that a threat like this isn’t credible
- Beyond that, if someone is willing to claim they have a bomb, they might act erratically in other ways as well
- At the same time, I feel bad for someone with genuine mental health issues who seemingly can’t help themselves, but what else are you supposed to do?
The air traffic control audio makes for a good listen
The main reason I’m writing about this story is because VASAviation has the air traffic control audio from this incident, and it’s quite interesting. If you’ve ever been curious what the on-frequency communication and coordination look like during a bomb threat, this gives you a great sense of that.
A couple of things stand out:
- Is the Allegiant pilot just to the point, or sort of rude? I’m not sure I get the “we’re not too happy right now” comment, or is that just intended to convey they’re not happy they had to divert over a bomb threat?
- In some ways, it feels like the airport isn’t terribly prepared for a situation like this in terms of coordination and communication, like the rescue vehicle not being sure if it’s a bomb threat, confusion about how close to the plane they can get, etc.
Bottom line
An Allegiant Air flight from St. Petersburg returned to the airport just 20 minutes after takeoff, after a passenger reportedly claimed that his laptop was in fact a bomb. This is an unfortunate situation, because the passenger also claimed he had just been released from a mental health facility. This obviously puts everyone in a tough spot.
If you’re an aviation geek, the air traffic control audio makes for good listening, since it’s not often we get to hear this kind of ground coordination.
What do you make of this Allegiant Air diversion?
Interesting the focus on the US and about mental health. Interesting how many of these emergency landings or diverts happen in the US. It is almost every day we hear about it compared to countries and airlines in Europe and Asia....
Thank you Ben, once again you have proven to me that everyday is a school day. I’m not being facetious, I have truly learned something very valuable today, thank you.
After thinking about the reported mental illness of the subject bomb hoaxer, I consulted Mr Google. I settled for reading the 2024, Mental Health America report. What an eye opener.
No more visits to that New England side of the country, I’m sticking...
Thank you Ben, once again you have proven to me that everyday is a school day. I’m not being facetious, I have truly learned something very valuable today, thank you.
After thinking about the reported mental illness of the subject bomb hoaxer, I consulted Mr Google. I settled for reading the 2024, Mental Health America report. What an eye opener.
No more visits to that New England side of the country, I’m sticking to the Mid and North West states in future …. far less likely to meet residents who are suffering from mental illness in that part of the country …. :-)
The first thing that should have cast doubt on his claim is that an Allegiant pax would be able to afford a laptop.
I argue you can. Actual bombs are not preceded by threats.
The IRA say:”Hold my detonator “
Arps or Karp, whomever you are numpty, you are no authority on terrorism. Walter Mitty types like you are as equally insane as the subject person who issued the bomb threat. You should learn to stick to attempting to convincing the readers that you are a simple office tea boy.
I don't think the pilot is being rude at all. When he say "we're not too happy right now", I took it to mean that "we" was referring to the source of the threat and/or the general mood in the cabin. Not we the pilots.
One form of rudeness is spreading negative emotionality. Saying "we're not too happy right now" does nothing but sour the mood. Low-class people don't even know that's rude, but high-class people are keenly aware, which is why Ben (who is high class) noticed a tingling sensation of rudeness when he heard that.
Arps-Karp, Walter Mitty, you are definitely the only “Low-class” person commenting herein today.
Do give it a rest child, yes?
Maybe they should have landed at TPA?
PIE is a small airport. Doubt they've ever had anything close to this. I over feeling sorry for people and their "alleged" mental issues. Arrest, put on Do Not Fly List, put in jail for a couple months and charge them the cost of the diversion.
Mental issues is always subjective and evolving.
In the 1800s dementia is a mental issue.
In the 50s self assigned gender is a mental issue.
Today PTSD is still a thing.
So should we lock up and put Joe Biden or LGBTQ+ on the no fly list?
My sympathies for your abject ignorance.
Arps-Karp, Walter Mitty type …. “Your abject ignorance”, is of no consequence, likewise, your mental perturbations, although severe, do not elicit any sympathies.
You have been outed for the poor sickly child you are and would be best advised to take a long walk along a short pier.
A couple of months in prison? A couple of years more likely. Take your mental issues and put them where the sun don’t shine
All these comments about prison time seem to be missing that the mental issues will still be present after a few months or years behind bars. All you've done is lock somebody up on taxpayer dime, keep them from getting help and making it more likely they'll get out and be unable to get a job or contribute in any way to society. You're kicking the can down the road at best, but more likely...
All these comments about prison time seem to be missing that the mental issues will still be present after a few months or years behind bars. All you've done is lock somebody up on taxpayer dime, keep them from getting help and making it more likely they'll get out and be unable to get a job or contribute in any way to society. You're kicking the can down the road at best, but more likely making the problem worse. Novel thought, if mental healthcare was easier to get and more affordable to keep, we'd probably be seeing less of these episodes.
The point isn't a solution, it's the cruelty