Sources Say Prank On 10-year-old On Flight To Orlando Sparked Panic

According to airport spokeswoman Caroline Fennell, a potential threat at Orlando International Airport on Sunday night turned out to be a hoax.

Around 5:30 p.m., the airport received a message from Alaska Airlines operational personnel about a possible incident on board a flight from Seattle.

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The 10-year-old passenger sent a message to another passenger, according to federal sources.

Police responded as a precaution, but the incident turned out to be a hoax, Fennell said.

According to passengers, police surrounded the plane with weapons, and the family on board was taken out of the plane.

“The parents were like, ‘Sorry, that’s my baby,’ and they all just had to leave,” passenger Tyler Woods said.

Woods and his mom are from Alaska and flew into Orlando this week before the cruise. Woods’ mom said the incident was scary.

“Especially considering everything that is happening in the world right now. An hour on asphalt is a very long day,” said Jill Reed.

No arrests were made, according to federal sources.

Alaska Airlines released the following statement regarding the incident:

“After Alaska Airlines Flight 16 from Seattle landed in Orlando, it parked remotely due to a potential threat that was later deemed implausible. The police boarded and cleared the plane. The aircraft continued on its way to the boarding gate and the passengers disembarked as normal. We take safety seriously and apologize for the inconvenience to our guests.”