First-class passenger hands flight attendant BOMB THREAT on plane

A first-class passenger caused a panic aboard an Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle after threatening to blow up the plane if it didn’t swerve, before admitting he fabricated the hoax to avoid a Mexican cartel.

Brandon L Scott, 38, handed a terrifying note to a flight attendant aboard Flight 334 from Atlanta to Sea-Tac Airport on July 5, according to a federal complaint.

The hijacker scribbled his threat on the back of a receipt, warning the flight attendant that he would “kill every soul on this plane” if the plane landed at its intended destination.

With 177 passengers unaware of the bomb threat, the pilot diverted the plane to Spokane, where the fraudster was quickly taken into custody and charged with false information and fraud. No explosives were found on board.

He later told investigators he wanted to be arrested and claimed that members of the notorious Sinaloa Cartel were waiting to torture him when he landed in Seattle.

The hoax saw Scott pretending to stow an explosive device in first class and warned he would kill everyone on board unless the pilot landed at ‘another airport’

Scott risks five years behind bars and a fine of up to $250,000 for the hoax, which came as he made several demands in his attempt to evade the alleged cartel members.

When he handed the receipt to the flight attendant, Scott reportedly said he stowed the explosive device above his front row seat, as a warning that he would hit the detonator unless the pilot landed at “another airport,” according to the complaint.

“There is a bomb on this plane,” the note read. ‘This is not a joke. Several kilograms of home-made explosives are in my hand luggage. I have a detonator with me.

“Handle this matter carefully and exactly as I say, or I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board.

“You should alert the pilot to this note and keep the matter to yourself. Many innocent lives are in your hands, do as I ask and everyone will live. Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose.’

Scott, who has previously been convicted of kidnapping and robbery, added that if the pilot agreed to change the destination, “I will refrain from detonating the bomb.”

“I repeat, if I see us land in Seattle, I will kill every soul on this plane,” the note allegedly said, adding that he wanted the incident to “stay out of the news media long after I’m surrendered’.

Passengers were told the plane was hit by mechanical problems as they swerved, in an effort by the pilot to keep the packed flight calm. The route of the flight is pictured above

The flight attendant to whom the threat was handed alerted the cockpit, which in turn contacted Air Traffic Control and Alaska Airlines Security Dispatch, the complaint states.

In an effort to avoid mass panic at 30,000 feet, passengers were told the plane had a minor mechanical failure and they would be making a diverted landing to Spokane International Airport.

Scott was taken off the flight by police, and an inspection of the plane by the Spokane Police Department’s Bomb Squad found no explosives on board.

While in custody, the hijacker allegedly admitted to writing the note, but said he did so because he was “targeted by the Sinaloa Cartel,” the indictment said.

“Scott stated that members of the cartel were waiting for him to land in Seattle to torture and kill Scott,” the document read.

It’s unclear if Scott is in any danger from a drug cartel and why he would have feared their wrath. The Sinaloa Cartel is not known to have a significant presence in Seattle.

He also allegedly admitted to drinking two shots of vodka during the flight and considering other tactics to disrupt the flight, such as attacking a flight attendant or opening the cabin door.

“Scott stated that he had not devised a more reasonable approach, such as contacting law enforcement personnel at the airport to request help or assistance,” the complaint concluded.

According to KXLYSpokane Airport was temporarily closed Wednesday night due to the hoax, which delayed four inbound and four outbound flights.

Spokane Airport was temporarily closed Wednesday night due to the hoax, which delayed four inbound and four outbound flights

Witnesses on the flight have revealed that they were unaware of the possible bomb on board as their flight was diverted.

A passenger told King5 the plane was told by the pilot to make an emergency landing due to a ‘mechanical problem’.

Once on the ground, Scott was quickly seized by law enforcement, with the passenger saying it took until then for most to realize the problem was more serious.

“Everyone was kind of looking down the aisle and you could see right in the front there were two police officers handcuffing a guy,” they said.

“It’s just scary to know, not just for yourself, but when you have your kid with you — there were so many kids on that plane.”