An American Airlines flight from Austin, Texas, to Charlotte, North Carolina, was delayed for over four hours on February 7, 2025, after a passenger’s Wi-Fi hotspot was discovered with the name “There is a bomb on the flight.” The unsettling hotspot name led to significant security concerns and procedural delays.
Incident details and passenger response
Flight 2863 was scheduled to depart from Austin-Bergstrom International Airport at 1:42 p.m. local time. Shortly before takeoff, a passenger noticed the suspicious Wi-Fi network name and alerted a flight attendant. The flight crew informed the pilot, who then notified airport authorities, including the Austin Police Department and the Department of Aviation.
Passenger Bruce Steen recounted that the pilot initially cited an “administrative issue” as the cause of the delay but later disclosed the true reason, stating that someone had renamed their hotspot to “There is a bomb on the flight.”
Security measures and passenger screening
Law enforcement officers boarded the plane and requested that the individual responsible for the Wi-Fi hotspot name come forward, emphasizing that if it was a joke, it would be handled differently than a serious threat. When no one admitted responsibility, all passengers were evacuated in groups and directed to show their devices’ hotspot names to the police.
Passengers were held in a designated area and re-screened by security personnel. Their luggage was also removed from the aircraft and inspected by bomb-sniffing dogs to ensure safety.
Flight resumption and official statements
After thorough inspections and security protocols, the flight departed around 6:24 p.m., approximately four-and-a-half hours behind schedule. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) emphasized the seriousness with which they handle bomb threats, confirming that all passengers and their checked baggage were re-screened.
Austin-Bergstrom International Airport reported no significant impacts on other airport or airline operations due to the incident.
