Man fined $4,500 for bomb hoax on flight
He had been unhappy that he had to check in his carry-on bag
Unhappy to be told that he had to check in his carry-on bag, a 41-year-old man on board a Scoot flight said he had a bomb in the bag.
This led to the Hat Yai-bound plane being forced to turn back to Singapore, and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) fighter jets being scrambled to escort it.
Yesterday, Hsu Chun Meng was fined $4,500 for breaching the Protection from Harassment Act by using threatening words to cause alarm.
The court heard that Hsu had boarded flight TR634 from Singapore to Hat Yai, Thailand, with two friends at about 12.55pm on April 5 this year.
He tried to put his hand-carry luggage in the overhead compartment but it could not fit.
Stewardess Boo Joe We, 23, told Hsu he had to check in the bag.
When Ms Boo asked him if he had any prohibited items in the bag, Hsu replied: "Nothing, only bomb."
When the stewardess stared at him, he said: "No bomb lah. Joking. How can it be?"
When the plane was about to take off at 1.53pm, she told her cabin crew in-charge, Ms Chiong Wen Chin Ginny, 26, about the incident.
Ms Chiong decided to inform the plane's captain, but as the flight was about to take off, she could not enter the cockpit.
When the plane was airborne, she entered the cockpit and told the pilot what happened.
After ascertaining the facts, the pilot followed established protocol and reported "Mayday" to the Malaysian air traffic control.
He also told Singapore air traffic control that he was heading back to Singapore, the nearest airport.
RSAF FIGHTERS
As the plane carrying 179 people entered Singapore airspace at about 2.20pm, RSAF fighters were scrambled to escort it.
The plane landed at a remote area away from the main Changi Airport terminals.
When the police arrived, all the passengers had to disembark while officers conducted a security sweep of the aircraft.
The luggage bags belonging to Hsu and his friends were located and separately removed for security checks.
In sentencing, District Judge Adam Nakhoda said Hsu's behaviour could not be tolerated, and there was a need to deter like-minded individuals from doing the same.
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