Flight incident protocol was quickly put to the test at Indonesia’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport when an elderly woman jokingly claimed she had a bomb in her bag.
The statement, made moments before takeoff on a Batik Air flight to Manado, caused immediate alarm and led to swift action from the cabin crew and security officers.
Batik Air Delays Departure Over Passenger’s Remarks
The woman, who had already boarded and taken her seat, made the offhand comment to a flight attendant. In response, the airline crew followed standard operating procedures and reported the incident to aviation security and the flight captain. As a precaution, the woman was escorted off the aircraft before departure.
Footage later circulated showing the woman calmly retrieving her belongings and cooperating with officers. She quietly exited the aircraft as other passengers looked on. Despite her cooperation, the comment caused a significant disruption: the aircraft’s departure was delayed by two hours while authorities conducted a full check of the passenger and her possessions.
No explosive devices or threatening materials were discovered. Nonetheless, the airline responded seriously to the nature of the statement. A Batik Air spokesperson confirmed that the passenger, seated in 11E, had been blacklisted from flying with the carrier due to her “threatening joke.”
“No items in the form of bombs were found,” the spokesperson stated. “Batik Air also set internal sanctions in the form of blocking (blacklist) against the person concerned.”
Not the Only Incident Making Headlines
This event wasn’t the only unusual airline disruption to occur in recent weeks. Just days earlier, a British passenger on a Ryanair flight from Tenerife to Bristol found herself at the center of an entirely different kind of in-flight drama—this one involving a tube of Pringles.
Ann-Marie Murray, 55, was returning home after a birthday trip when she began snacking on the crisps before the card payment had processed. The crew attempted to charge her £7 for the snacks and a drink, but a card machine issue and her lack of cash escalated the situation. According to Murray, she offered to pay but was unable to due to the malfunction, and assumed the issue would be resolved peacefully. Instead, the Ryanair crew called the police.
Upon landing at Bristol Airport, three police officers boarded the plane and escorted her off, reportedly placing her in the back of a police van. Murray insists she tried to pay and that the incident was blown out of proportion, calling it “embarrassing” and “shocking.”
“They then told the police I had refused to pay, but that wasn’t the case,” she explained. “I wanted to pay, but my card didn’t work and I had no cash.”
Airlines Taking a Harder Line
Both of these situations—one involving a poorly timed joke, the other a billing misunderstanding—highlight a growing trend of passengers removed from flights for disruptive or misinterpreted behavior. In an era where safety and customer conduct are under heightened scrutiny, airlines appear to be enforcing policies more rigidly.
From perceived threats to minor in-flight disputes, flight crews are exercising caution, prioritizing operational protocol over customer leniency. For travelers, the message is clear: even minor incidents can have major consequences once you’re on board.
Whether it’s a prank gone wrong or a snack payment gone sideways, these episodes reflect a shift in how flight incidents are managed—and remind passengers that what might seem like a harmless action could end with a blacklist or police escort.
