Karen S. Kim and Gary Moskowitz
AIRPORT DISTRICT -- A bomb threat at Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena Airport
delayed passengers, stalled departing flights and backed up traffic on
Hollywood Way Friday evening.
At about 4:30 p.m., a laptop computer passing through the security
checkpoint leading to the Southwest Airlines and America West gates in
Terminal A caught the attention of security staff, who suspected it might
be an explosive device. The owner of the laptop was detained by airport
police, airport officials said.
Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department bomb experts and Burbank
police officers closed off the security checkpoint, and passengers were
not permitted to board flights departing from the concourse.
Bomb experts and police officers also restricted traffic heading into
the terminal area as a precautionary measure, backing up cars onto
Hollywood Way.
Flights already en route to Burbank Airport were permitted to land,
and passengers were taken into the baggage claim area as usual. Southwest
Airlines flights waiting to take off from other airports and fly in to
Burbank were told to stay on the ground until the situation was resolved,
airport officials said.
At 6 p.m., Southwest and America West flights began taking off from
Terminal B, the United Airlines and Alaska Airlines terminal, which was
not affected by the bomb threat, airport officials said. Incoming flights
also were allowed to land.
"We are evaluating when and how to resume access to the concourse for
departing passengers," Airport Authority Spokesman Victor Gill said. "But
we do have something that we're observing for security, and it's enough
of a concern to take these precautions."
Hundreds of stranded passengers waited at the airport bar, resting on
their luggage or sitting on the floor, hoping for good news about their
travel plans.
"I want to go home with my family, and no one has told us anything,"
said Jeff Loeb, whose flight from Oakland stopped over in Burbank on its
way to Phoenix. "I'm not flying into Burbank any longer."
But Monrovia resident Jim Siegrist was unperturbed by the delay as he
waited at the bar.
"We're on our way to Oakland to celebrate our anniversary, but my
wife's got a good seat at the bar, so she's not worried," he said.
