The airplane that was used for Southwest Airlines' inaugural flight to Hawaii from Oakland International Airport was a Boeing 737-800. Xxx Hooper Southwest Hawaii 006 Jpg
San Diego, California – A Hawaiian Airlines flight bound for Honolulu was evacuated Tuesday morning at San Diego International Airport after a military service member allegedly made a false bomb threat, prompting a major emergency response and delaying the flight for several hours.
According to the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Department, 35-year-old John Stea, a U.S. Navy Electronics Technician 1st Class assigned to Maritime Expeditionary Security Group One, was arrested and charged with making a false bomb threat and false report of a security threat. Authorities said Stea told a flight attendant that the person seated next to him had a bomb.
Flight HA15, an Airbus A330 carrying 283 passengers and 10 crew members, had just pushed back from the gate around 8:45 a.m. when the alleged threat was reported to the flight’s captain. The captain immediately contacted Harbor Police, taxied the aircraft to a secure area on the airfield, and began evacuation procedures.
Emergency responders—including Harbor Police SWAT and K-9 units, the Joint Terrorism Task Force, San Diego Fire-Rescue, and the FBI—searched the plane and interviewed passengers. The FBI later confirmed there was no credible threat and nothing suspicious was found onboard.
Video from local news helicopters showed dozens of emergency vehicles surrounding the aircraft, with a mobile staircase leading to the front cabin door and airport shuttle buses parked nearby to transport passengers. By 10:30 a.m., all passengers had safely deplaned and were moved to a secure area.
Eyewitnesses onboard the flight described a tense but orderly response. “One guy stood up, they immediately told him to turn around and put him in handcuffs,” said Isai Solorzano, a fellow Navy sailor and passenger on the flight.
In a statement, Hawaiian Airlines said, “A guest was overheard making a threat to the safety of our aircraft. As a precaution, the captain immediately taxied the aircraft to a safe location on the airfield, where it was met with local and federal law enforcement, and guests were safely deplaned.”
The aircraft was cleared for departure by early afternoon, and the flight resumed its journey to Honolulu around 2:15 p.m.
Flight operations at the airport remained unaffected throughout the incident, with only minimal delays reported. Authorities continue to investigate the situation, and the FBI reminded the public to report any suspicious activity immediately.
