The Region of Waterloo International Airport remains on lockdown after police arrested one man following a bomb threat on a Flair Airlines plane headed from Ontario to Vancouver on Monday afternoon.
Waterloo Regional Police said the incident happened at about 2 p.m. ET at the airport east of Kitchener.
“A passenger reported to staff that another passenger threatened that he had a bomb on the plane,” a police spokesperson said in a release.
Officers from the explosives disposal unit were still at the airport as of 5 p.m., investigating whether an incendiary device was on the plane.
The public is being asked to avoid the airport.
Currently on scene at Region of Waterloo International Airport. Officers responded to a report of a bomb threat on a plane. <br><br>One male is in police custody. <br><br>The investigation is ongoing—updates to follow. <a href=”https://t.co/5TEGp3dZzV”>pic.twitter.com/5TEGp3dZzV</a>
—@WRPSToday
‘Safety is our No. 1 priority’: airline
Flair Airlines confirmed to CBC News that the incident happened on one of its planes.
“Flair is currently addressing a passenger-related serious safety concern that required a full search of the aircraft,” Matthew Kunz, vice-president of business transformation and operations, said in a statement.
Flight F8500 to Vancouver had been scheduled to leave the Waterloo airport at 2:10 p.m., but passengers were asked to get off the plane after the threat, according to Kunz.
“Safety is our number one priority as we continue to gather details on today’s events. Authorities and Flair officials are currently investigating.”
The flight is now scheduled to take off at 6:10 p.m.
A spokesperson with the Region of Waterloo said the airport is working with police to investigate the security threat and ensure that anyone affected, including airport staff, are in safe locations.
Flight delays
Current arrival and departure times are expected to be delayed.
Flair and WestJet are the only airlines with scheduled flights on Monday.
All afternoon and evening departures to Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary have been delayed, according to the airport’s online flight dashboard. A single flight arriving from Edmonton in the evening is expected to be late.