Frontier Airlines flight 2539 diverted to remote runway in Atlanta after passenger allegedly makes bomb threat

A Frontier Airlines flight was moved to a remote runway at Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport on Sunday, March 29, after a passenger allegedly made a bomb threat that was later determined to be non-credible.

According to FlightAware, Frontier flight 2539 departed John Glenn Columbus International Airport at 2:38 p.m. and landed in Atlanta at 5:09 p.m. The aircraft was taxiing to the gate when a passenger allegedly made the verbal threat, multiple outlets, including USA Today, reported, citing a Frontier spokesperson.

What happened inside Frontier airlines 2539

11Alive reported that air traffic control audio indicated the passenger also threatened the woman seated next to him. "He's in his seat. He is starting to threaten to kill the lady who's sitting next to him, and he is saying that he has a bomb on board," the pilot said, according to the audio cited by the TV station.

In the viral audio reportedly from the incident, it also shared some glimpses of the alleged passenger. “A black male approximately five-nine sitting in seat 3 alpha,” the pilot relays the Level 3 threat to the ATC.

What is a Level 3 threat

As per the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a LEVEL 3 THREAT is “Life-threatening behavior” like, “Weapon displayed/used, credible terrorist threats, credible bomb threats, or actual use of bombs, sabotage of aircraft systems, credible threats of hijacking, and deadly hand-to-hand techniques such as choking or eye gouging.”

Frontier Airlines hijacking threat found non-credible

"As a matter of precaution and in coordination with local authorities, the aircraft parked at a remote location while law enforcement responded," the airline told USA TODAY.

The threat aboard frontier 2539 was later deemed non-credible, according to Frontier, reports USA TODAY. Passengers were deplaned via air stairs and bused to the terminal. There were no reported injuries, and airport operations remained normal, according to media reports.

Fox 5 in Atlanta reported the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is now taking the lead in looking into the incident, which is not being investigated as a hijacking.