Brandon L. Scott faked Alaska Airlines bomb threat over cartel: feds

A first-class Alaska Airlines passenger on a flight from Atlanta to Seattle threatened to “kill everyone on board” with a bomb after claiming cartel members were waiting to off him when he landed.

Flight 334’s path abruptly changed on July 5 after Brandon L. Scott, 38, slipped a note to a flight attendant, threatening to wipe out all 117 passengers if the pilot landed in Seattle, a federal complaint revealed. 

“There is a bomb on this plane,” Scott scribbled on the back of a receipt.

“This is not a joke. Several pounds of homemade explosives are in my carry-on bag. I have a detonator with me. Handle this matter carefully and exactly how I say, otherwise, I will detonate the explosives and kill everyone on board.” 

Scott, who had two vodka shots while on the flight, wrote that he had “nothing left to lose” and demanded the plane be rerouted from its destination in Seattle.

“Deviate and the consequences will be deadly for all of us. I have nothing left to lose,” he continued.

“Any other airport will do. If this plane lands in Seattle, I will kill everyone onboard.

“Change our destination and I will refrain from detonating the bomb. I repeat, if I see us land in Seattle, I will kill every soul on this plane.”  

Scott said he’d “give myself up peacefully upon arrival,” but requested that the media not be contacted “until well after I have surrendered,” according to the complaint.

“Pretend there is some sort of equipment problem or whatever you have to do. Just get this plane rerouted. Failure to comply will cost the lives of everyone on this plane.” 

Flight 334 was rerouted to Spokane International Airport in Washington — roughly 275 miles from Seattle — landing shortly before 5:30 p.m.

Law enforcement met the plane, and Scott was detained. 

He later told authorities he knew the information in his note was “false” and that he had no bomb but wanted to be arrested because members of the Sinaloa Cartel were waiting to torture him in Seattle.

The deadly cartel is not known to have a large presence in the city. 

Scott also admitted he had considered other diversion methods, such as assaulting a flight attendant or opening the cabin door to avoid landing in Seattle. 

Scott has prior convictions of kidnapping and robbery, according to the complaint. 

The Spokane airport briefly shut down during the investigation, which found no explosive material on the aircraft. 

Fellow passengers were told there was a “mechanical issue,” which caused the diversion, a traveler told King 5.