Bomb Threat on Allegiant Air Flight Leads to Arrest

A man has been arrested following a bomb threat made on an Allegiant Air flight over the weekend. Taj Malik Teiyor, 27, from Largo, Florida, was charged with providing false information and making threats on Sunday afternoon.

According to the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, Teiyor allegedly told another passenger on Flight 1023, which was en route to Roanoke, Virginia, that he had a bomb. The flight, which departed from St. Pete Clearwater International Airport, had to return shortly after takeoff due to the reported threat.

“Passengers quickly informed the flight attendants,” the sheriff’s office reported. “Detectives noted that several witnesses heard Teiyor claim that he had a bomb.”

Once the plane landed, authorities conducted a search and did not find any explosives among Teiyor’s belongings. He was later booked around 11:30 PM on Sunday and taken into custody the following morning, approximately 11 hours later.

The FBI has since taken over the investigation and provided an arrest affidavit outlining the charges against Teiyor. The document indicated that he knowingly spread false information under circumstances that could easily be taken seriously, displaying a reckless disregard for safety.

During questioning, Teiyor mentioned that his comments came after a rude interaction with another passenger, stating he had been recently released from a mental health facility. He admitted to feeling unclear after taking medication prior to the flight.

Teiyor appeared in court on Monday morning, though details regarding legal representation remain unclear.

Allegiant Air commented on the incident, stating, “We do not tolerate disruptive behavior.” They added that the flight returned safely to the airport, where law enforcement detained the passengers involved in the situation. As an apology for the inconvenience, the airline will offer a $100 voucher to each affected passenger for future travel.