MIRAMAR- A bomb threat on Spirit Airlines (NK) forced Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to halt inbound arrivals briefly after a security alert was reported on a single aircraft. Authorities resumed regular operations once the plane was cleared and no device was discovered.
The threat reportedly occurred on a Spirit flight from Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas (LAS), where a female passenger claimed a bomb mid-flight. Crew members restrained the situation until the aircraft landed and law enforcement boarded.
Spirit Airlines Passenger Bomb Threat
Spirit flight NK3743 was operating the Las Vegas to Philadelphia route on an Airbus A320 when the disturbance began roughly two-thirds into the flight.
According to social media reports, a woman verbally announced a bomb threat, prompting immediate involvement from flight attendants.
One attendant told her to “get the f*** off” the aircraft before moving her to the front galley area. She remained seated there under supervision for the remainder of the flight.
After touchdown, the aircraft was initially pulled away from the terminal, while passengers were not yet informed of the reason. Minutes later, the captain advised cabin occupants that personnel from the Department of Defense would be boarding to conduct interviews.
Videos shared online appeared to document portions of the confrontation and its aftermath.
According to View from the Wing, the FAA quickly issued a ground stop for inbound flights at Philadelphia due to the active security investigation.
Timeline and Operational Effect
Spirit NK3743 is normally scheduled to depart Las Vegas (LAS) at 8:11 AM and arrive at PHL at 3:59 PM.
On November 28, the aircraft designated N618NK ran 3 hours late and arrived at 6:35 PM. It parked at gate E11 after authorities completed their security response.
The same aircraft later continued as Spirit NK735 from Philadelphia to Miami. Historically, the NK3743–NK735 turnaround runs slightly over an hour.
On November 28, that turnaround stretched to about one hour and forty minutes, marking an operational extension of approximately 30 to 40 minutes beyond its customary time due to the investigation.
Statements From Authorities
Officials confirmed that a bomb threat tied to a specific aircraft was responsible for triggering the temporary ground stop.
They stated that Philadelphia Police responded to a situation aboard a plane and that normal airport activity resumed once the aircraft was cleared.
They did not publicly identify the airline or flight number involved. No injuries were reported, and the plane reentered scheduled service later that evening.
Recent Bomb Threat at Spirit Airlines
This episode follows earlier, unrelated security scares involving Spirit flights this year. In June, a Michigan man was arrested after missing his Spirit flight from Detroit to Los Angeles and allegedly calling in a bomb threat against Spirit flight 2145.
The flight returned to the gate for screening before authorities cleared it.
In July, a 16-year-old at Fort Lauderdale–Hollywood International Airport declared, “I have a bomb in my pocket” before a Spirit flight to Kansas City.
Deputies boarded and evacuated the aircraft, triggering hours of delays and a full security sweep.
His parents later told the media that the remark was intended as a crude joke rather than an actual threat, but the teen still faced charges of criminal mischief and issuing a false bomb threat.
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