Panic in Plan after Bomb Alert

Panic created in plane after the passengers confused pilot's announcement. He used his plane's intercom to send birthday greetings to a colleague's mother. Passengers thought he said "bomb" rather than "mom".

The unnamed Southwest Airlines pilot was asked by an air traffic controller to wish his mother a happy birthday as he flew from Baltimore, Maryland, to New York's MacArthur airport in Islip, Long Island, on Friday.Taking to the plane's intercom, the pilot told passengers that they had a "mom on board," however, many thought he said a "bomb on board".

Panicking passengers asked other members of the crew to clarify what the pilot had said, and were assured that there was no bomb. The pilot also went back on the intercom to explain his remarks.
But several passengers have now complained to the authorities about the announcement.
Brandi King, spokesman for Southwest Airlines, said: "The pilot made an announcement that was misunderstood.