In an unusual turn of events, a passenger who was denied boarding on a Spirit Airlines flight in Michigan reportedly retaliated by calling in a bomb threat. The United States Attorney’s Office identified the individual as 23-year-old Charles Robinson. Robinson had missed his scheduled departure on Flight 2145 in Detroit and was subsequently denied late boarding by customer service agents.
Robinson was informed at the gate that he would need to rebook his flight, as per the United States Attorney’s Office, Eastern District of Michigan. In what appears to be a misguided act of revenge, Robinson allegedly called in a bomb threat for the flight he had missed at 6:45 a.m. He even went as far as to fabricate a bomber, providing authorities with a detailed description of the fictitious individual.
The passengers who had already boarded the flight were required to disembark, and bomb-sniffing dogs were brought in to search for potential explosives. U.S. Attorney Jerome F. Gorgon, Jr. expressed his concern over the incident, stating that such threats undermine the public’s sense of security and waste valuable law enforcement resources.
Robinson was apprehended by the FBI at the airport while attempting to board another flight to Los Angeles. Hailing from Monroe, Michigan, Robinson was arrested on a criminal complaint for reporting a fake bomb threat for a flight, according to federal prosecutors.
During the call in which he reported the false bomb threat, Robinson allegedly claimed to have information about Flight 2145. He reportedly stated that someone was planning to blow up the airport and the flight. He even provided a description of the imaginary bomber, adding that they would be carrying a bomb through the TSA undetected.
Robinson made his initial appearance in federal court in Detroit on Friday afternoon and was released on bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for June 27 for a preliminary examination.