Passenger receives one-year flight ban for false grenade claim

The Civil Aviation Authority of Vietnam also mandates that the man undergo direct security checks for six months once he is permitted to fly again.

It stated that the false claim about grenades in carry-on baggage “impacted the normal operations of the airline.” On July 21, while boarding the VN131 flight from Da Nang to Ho Chi Minh City, a passenger in seat 28E claimed there were grenades in his baggage.

After flight attendants reported the incident, the captain decided to remove the passenger, who was traveling with his family of four, from the flight. The flight, scheduled to depart at 3:25 p.m., was delayed.

Security checks on all passengers and their belongings were completed by 4:40 p.m., and no dangerous items were found. The passenger was then handed over to the Middle Airports Authority for further questioning. The flight eventually departed at 5:15 p.m.

The passenger is now facing a potential fine. Under Vietnamese regulations, those who falsely claim to have guns, bullets, bombs, or other prohibited items on a flight can be fined up to VND40 million ($1,581).