Passengers delayed by bomb hoax complete journey

Passengers on a Luton-to-Galway flight diverted following a mid-air bomb scare finally arrived at their destination today.

The Aer Arann flight was escorted by two RAF Tornado fighters to Ayrshire’s Prestwick airport just before 11pm yesterday after stewards were alerted to the word “bomb” and a picture of an arrow scrawled on a seat table.

Four crew members and 49 passengers had to be evacuated from the plane and were interviewed, searched and photographed by detectives.

No device was found and the passengers and crew were sent to a hotel just before 5am – only to be woken at 10.30am in a fire evacuation.

The plane finally arrived in Galway at about 4pm today.

The scare follows a similar incident on Wednesday when more than 170 passengers and crew on a Paris to Dublin Ryanair flight were diverted to Prestwick after a note warning of a bomb on board was found in an in-flight magazine.

Travellers today condemned the “irresponsible” hoaxer and said there was a feeling of frustration rather than fear on the plane.

Some were unhappy at having to wait on board an hour after landing at Prestwick but praised airline and airport staff.

Taisce Gillespie, a footballer with Barnet FC, was sitting beside the two passengers who found the message.

The 17-year-old, who was heading home to Galway for the week, said: “I thought the reason we landed at Prestwick was because they were prepared for the situation, which they didn’t seem to be at all.

"The longer it went on people started getting frustrated but there wasn’t any panic.”

Mr Gillespie said a “stupid prank” had ruined many people’s Easter weekend, saying some had simply flown back to Luton instead of going on to Ireland.

Energy consultant Jim Bown, 61, who is originally from Lancashire but now lives in Ukraine, was travelling with his family for a relative’s 60th birthday celebrations in Galway this evening.

He said passengers were “well looked after” by air staff but he condemned the “irresponsible” actions of the person who wrote the message.

“Some people might be smiling having seen the news, but it’s just sick,” he said.

“There’s no reason to put people through that kind of situation. It is stressful because you never quite know for certain.”

Passengers said they were given boarding passes at around 3am but were later told the pilots had exceeded their flying time and they could not travel until this afternoon.

Meanwhile, Prestwick chief executive Mark Rodwell praised his staff for their handling of the latest incident.

He said: “In situations like this the airport follows pre-determined procedures, which allow us to work alongside the police and emergency services to ensure the safety and well-being of the people involved, which is always our number one priority.”