Airline flight bound for Manila delayed at Bacolod airport over bomb threat

A Cebu Pacific flight at the Bacolod-Silay airport bound for Manila on Sunday night was delayed after one of its passengers received a bomb threat, the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said.

According to the CAAP, a passenger of Flight 5J472 received the bomb threat via AirDrop at  11:39 PM while inside the aircraft.

CAAP said the passenger immediately reported the message to the cabin crew attendant, who in turn informed the aircraft’s pilot.

"The pilot in command required a full aircraft, passenger, baggage, and cargo re-screening and security check. Bacolod K-9 Unit was activated," Cebu Pacific spokesperson Carmina Romero said.

"After the security check completion, the flight was re-dispatched for Manila," she added.

Romero added that there was “No impact (on operations.) We have protocols.”

The Philippine National Police Aviation Security and Emergency Unit (PNP AVSEU) was promptly notified of the incident and the aircraft's passengers and cargo were subsequently deplaned.

A bomb squad inspected the aircraft and cargo, while the passengers had to again go through an X-ray security check

The whole security procedure caused the flight to be delayed for two hours, CAAP said.

The flight was able to successfully take off at 2:18 a.m. on Monday, July 3, 2023, with 193 passengers on board.

Cebu Pacific, the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA), PNP AVSEU, and CAAP are closely coordinating and sharing information about the incident. —NB/BAP/KG, GMA Integrated News