‘Suspicious phone call’ delays flight to Amman

AMMAN — A Middle East Airlines (MEA) aircraft that was flying from Beirut to Amman on Friday was delayed for around three hours after a passenger’s phone conversation aroused suspicions that there were explosives on board.

But further investigation by airport security revealed that the passenger works with international law enforcement and was speaking to a colleague about a mission they were carrying out, according to an MEA statement carried by the Jordan News Agency, Petra.

As MEA flight No. 312 was preparing for takeoff to Amman at 4:50pm on Friday, a passenger overheard the man sitting next to her speaking on the phone, and the words he used made her suspicious.

She reported the issue to the aircraft crew, who halted the take off and notified airport security. 

Security personnel gave orders that all luggage be offloaded, and questioned the man who was speaking on the phone, who explained that he was working with international security forces.

As a precautionary measure, the passengers and the luggage were reinspected and another aircraft was provided in order to re-assure the passengers, Petra said.

The flight to Amman took off at 8:15pm.