An Air France flight bound for Paris was diverted to Montreal last night after an anonymous threat was received, airport officials confirmed.
Flight 083 from San Francisco made an unscheduled stop in Montreal just after 11:20 p.m. ET, said Francois Asselin, a spokesman for Aéroports de Montreal.
Air France confirmed around 4:45 a.m. that the threat was a false alarm.
The plane left for Paris around 6 a.m.
“We were told we had to be diverted for operational reasons by the captain,” passenger Thomas Serval told CBC News. “We were anxious when we landed safely.”
The Boeing 777-300ER was carrying 231 passengers and 15 staff members. The pilot decided to land in Montreal out of precaution, and the plane stayed on the tarmac for some time with passengers on board.
Police and firefighters were called to the scene at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, according to standard procedure.
Gilles Raymond told The Associated Press that he and his fellow passengers spent at least an hour on the plane during verifications after being originally told the diversion was for “technical reasons.”
“Everyone is pretty relaxed,” Raymond said while still inside. “There was no panic, no stress. Everyone is waiting in their seats. Some people are sleeping, and some are checking their phones or eating ice cream that the flight attendants gave them.”
It is not the first time the airline’s flights have been diverted since the Nov. 13 attacks in Paris that killed 130 people and left hundreds injured.
On Nov. 17, flights bound for France were diverted to Halifax and Salt Lake City, Utah due to anonymous threats later found to be baseless after a sweep of the planes.
CBC News
Passenger strangles fellow passenger over seat recline
A man aboard a San Francisco-bound flight was detained Sunday night after he apparently tried to strangle a fellow passenger who had leaned her seat back shortly after the plane took off from Los Angeles International Airport, authorities and witnesses said.
Southwest Flight 2010 had been in the air for just over 10 minutes when around 10:43 p.m. the scuffle broke out between two passengers who were not traveling together, prompting the captain to declare an emergency and turn back, police said.
After the plane landed, the FBI detained one of the passengers, who was not identified, and authorities launched an investigation, said airport police Officer Rob Pedregon.
“No arrest has been made at this time, and the investigation is continuing,” said Laura Eimiller, a spokeswoman with the FBI’s Los Angeles field office. “The allegations involve the assault of a fellow passenger, but no charges have been filed.”
A woman aboard the flight took a photo from inside the plane of several police cars on the runway and described the altercation in an Instagram post written in German.
The woman, who goes by @mel.anita, said nine police cars surrounded the plane after a man grabbed the passenger by the throat when she tilted her seat back.
The 136 passengers on the flight were put on board another plane and arrived in San Francisco at 1:43 a.m. Monday — five hours behind schedule, officials said.
“Our crew members are trained to ensure the safe operation of every flight we operate,” said Dan Landson, a spokesman for Southwest. “Initial information is that the flight attendants swiftly coordinated with pilots on the flight deck to get the aircraft on the ground safely and quickly.”
SF Gate
United Airlines launches San Fransisco – Tel Aviv flight
While American Airlines has opted to cease its Philadelphia – Tel Aviv service, United has announced today the launch of its three-weekly San Francisco – Tel Aviv service, scheduled to start on April 1, 2016, subject to government approval.
“Providing corporate customers from throughout the Bay Area and Silicon Valley nonstop service to the high-tech market in Israel has been high on our priority list at United,” said Dave Hilfman, United’s senior vice president of worldwide sales. “Now with the 787-9 Dreamliner, we’re delighted to make it a reality.”
Currently, United Airlines offers twice-daily service non-stop flights between Newark and Tel Aviv, operated by its Boeing 777-200ER fleet.
MORE DESTINATIONS OUT OF UNITED’S SAN FRANCISCO HUB
Besides the announced Tel Aviv service, United will expand its route offer from its Pacific hub by adding the already-announced seasonal service to Xi’An in China, besides a three-weekly service to Auckland, beginning on July 1, 2016. Flights will be operated in partnership with Air New Zealand, a Star Alliance member.
As United adds more Dreamliners to its fleet (plans are 25 aircraft in 2015), the airline readies their deployment into long thin routes. Efficient, modern aircraft like the 787 and the Airbus A350, will allow airlines to operate several such routes. United seems to follow the example of British Airways and its successful Austin service and its forthcoming San Jose flight to London.
With the right aircraft, these routes can be very profitable for airlines and become exclusive city-pairs that they can have a good hold on.
Airways News