FLORIDA — A bomb threat discovered onboard an Allegiant Air flight at St. Pete-Clearwater International Airport (PIE) on Friday evening led to the evacuation of passengers and a temporary shutdown of airport operations. Normal activities resumed later that night following a thorough security sweep.
The incident occurred after Allegiant Flight 227, arriving from Cincinnati around 5:30 p.m. local time, was preparing for a return journey when a flight attendant discovered a handwritten bomb threat inside the rear lavatory. The pilot immediately halted the aircraft and initiated an emergency evacuation.
“All passengers were safely deplaned, and no injuries were reported,” said Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri during a news briefing. Authorities described the note as a “broad” threat, indicating potential risk not just to the aircraft involved but to all Allegiant flights at the airport.
As a precaution, all six Allegiant aircraft at PIE were grounded. Passengers were safely removed from each plane while bomb-sniffing dogs conducted searches. No explosives were found, according to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office and the Federal Aviation Administration.
Airport operations resumed around 8 p.m. after the all-clear was given.
An investigation is ongoing to determine the source of the threat.
