Malaysia Airlines passenger fined for joking about bomb in carry-on bag

New Straits Times

3 days ago

KUALA LUMPUR: A Vietnamese man was fined after joking that he had a bomb in his carry-on luggage upon arriving at Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi on Sunday.
Vietnam News reported that the passenger, who was on Malaysia Airlines flight MH752 from Kuala Lumpur to Hanoi, was issued a fine of four million dong (RM162).
The passenger, identified only as NCH, made the inappropriate remark while disembarking.
As the cabin crew stood at the aircraft door to bid farewell to passengers, a flight attendant asked the man about a black box he was carrying.
In response, he said, it was a bomb.
Subsequently, the flight crew reported the incident to airport authorities, and the man was detained by immigration police for questioning.
An inspection of the carry-on item revealed the box contained only a computer keyboard and a mouse. No suspicious or prohibited materials were found.
The man later admitted the remark was a joke made without thinking, citing a lack of awareness of the seriousness of such comments.
A representative from Noi Bai Airport's Emergency Command Unit said the case involved a joke made after the aircraft had landed, which allowed for quicker verification and resolution.
"Had the joke been made by a departing passenger, the entire process would have been far more complicated.
"The flight could have been delayed while all passengers and baggage underwent security re-screening, disrupting the flight schedule and overall terminal operations," the representative said.
Any mention of bombs, firearms or weapons aboard an aircraft or within airport premises triggers immediate response from the flight crew, aviation security and immigration officers.