“There is a bomb on the plane”: Alaska Airlines passenger Brandon Scott arrested after threatening to blow up flight

38-year-old Brandon Scott, who was on an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle from Atlanta, has been accused of making a bomb threat on the plane. This action reportedly forced the pilots to land the airplane in Spokane, Washington. According to court documents, Scott claimed that members of a “powerful cartel” were ordered to kill him in Seattle.

After the plane landed in Washington, authorities detained Brandon Scott, and the bomb squad arrived as well. However, they did not find any explosives in the plane. According to a witness, Scott threatened that if the pilot landed the plane in Seattle, he will let the bomb off. He reportedly wrote on a note:

“There is a bomb on the plane.”

The incident took place on July 5, 2023, and forced 117 passengers to land in Spokane, Washington, instead of Seattle. Moreover, he claimed to possess pounds of homemade explosives in his carry-on luggage and that he had a detonator.

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Alaska Airlines passenger Brandon Scott has been accused of threatening to blow the plane prior to its emergency landing in Spokane

The incident took place on Flight 334, when Brandon Schott, a first-class passenger, threatened to blow the plane off using a bomb that he possessed. He reportedly sent a note to a flight attendant in which he claimed that there was a bomb on the aircraft. The letter further read:

“This is not a joke. Several pounds of homemade explosives are in my carry-on bag. I have a detonator with me. Handle this matter carefully and exactly how I say, otherwise, I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board.”

Scott was reportedly two vodka shots down when he scribbled on that note. He further mentioned that he had “nothing left to lose.”

“Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose. Any other airport will do. If this plane lands in Seattle, I will kill everyone onboard. Change our destination and I will refrain from detonating the bomb. I repeat, if I see us land in Seattle, I will kill every soul on this plane.”

Brandon Scott also confirmed that he would surrender as soon as the plane lands. However, he urged everyone to not contact the media until the surrender happens. His actions and general safety concerns made the pilot reroute the plane to Spokane International Airport at around 5.30 pm local time, which is about 275 miles from Seattle. Law enforcement officials detained Scott as soon as the plane landed.

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Scott has been charged with false information and hoaxes charge

Later on, Brandon confirmed to the authorities that what he wrote about the bomb was “false” and he just wanted to be taken into custody by cops since members of the Sinaloa Cartel would have killed him in Seattle. Brandon Scott also revealed that he thought of other techniques to be arrested, like assaulting a flight attendant or trying to open the cabin door.

According to a criminal complaint, he was previously convicted of robbery and abduction. Authorities had further shut down Spokane International Airport for investigation purposes. A witness said:

“The captain came over and said, ‘I can’t say much, but a guy in first class told the flight attendants that if we land in Seattle, he has a bomb and that he’s going to let it off if we land in Seattle.”

Brandon Scott is currently being held in the Spokane County Jail and faces a false information charge. If convicted, he would face up to five years behind bars and a possible fine of $250,000.