No one enjoys enduring an airport layover. However, very few people go as far as to threaten to blow up an international airport over the lack of direct flights to their preferred destination. As KLAS reported, an angry passenger in Las Vegas on Monday not only said he wanted to bomb Harry Reid International Airport, but also made comments about Donald Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign. Why? Alaska Airlines wasn’t operating any non-stop flights between Vegas and South Carolina.
Jared Peeler of South Carolina approached the Alaska Airlines counter seeking a direct flight home and became angry when he learned there was no such service, according to police. At a cursory glance, Spirit Airlines is the only carrier that flies non-stop between Sin City and South Carolina. KSNV published more details about the incident:
An Alaska Airlines supervisor then asked Peeler to leave, which he refused and later began cursing at multiple people.
He then reportedly continued making threats, saying things like, “If I was a terrorist, I’d blow up this place,” “Come back and shoot this s***” and “Trump 2024″ leading employees to call out for police assistance.
During an interview with detectives, Peeler stated that he was in town to make a sports bet and was trying to buy a ticket to South Carolina at the Delta counter but was refused service due to not having a card. He added that “he comes from money and does not like to wait.”
Southern Nevada Counterterrorism Center responded to the incident. Peeler denied making the threats and said in an interview with police, “I said good thing I’m not a terrorist and I’m not trying to blow up the airport.” Unsurprisingly, that wasn’t a good enough excuse for law enforcement. Peeler is now facing a felony charge of making threats or conveying false information concerning acts of terrorism.
A judge ordered Peeler to stay away from the airport unless he had a ticket. I wouldn’t be surprised if that simply moves this disruptive behavior from the terminal into the sky.