Flight Attendant “Willingly” Made Up Multiple Bomb Hoaxes

A former SkyWest flight attendant is facing federal charges after officials say he admitted to staging two separate inflight emergencies while working for the airline.

Flight attendants are trained to be on the lookout for suspicious items and potential security threats, training which allowed former SkyWest Airlines flight attendant Justin Cox-Sever to be in the right place at the right time to sound the alarm, alerting flight crews and authorities to two chilling situations aboard more than one flight this year.

On a July 7 flight operated by SkyWest for American Airlines, Cox-Server was the first to report a bomb threat written on the lavatory wall. That flight returned to the airport, but no bomb was found. On a September 9 flight operated by SkyWest for Delta Air Lines, Cox-Server discovered a suspicious bag onboard and said he heard a distinct “beeping” coming from it. When no one on the plane claimed ownership of the bag, Cox-Sever reported the concerning situation to the captain, who quickly arranged to make an emergency landing. On the ground, the bomb squad found that the bag contained only rolled-up towels.

CNN reports that federal investigators believe that the reason Cox-Sever was on hand to discover these potential security threats is because he staged both incidents.

Investigators became suspicious of Cox-Sever when they learned that the most recent flight diversion was the second time in less than three months a “discovery” by the 21-year-old flight attendant resulted in a major security incident. Authorities say Cox-Sever eventually admitted to placing the suspicious bag on the Delta flight and writing the threatening message on the American flight.

Cox-Sever initially told authorities that he staged the incidents because an unidentified friend threatened to harm his family if he did not “bring down” a plane. He later admitted that the extortion claim was also made-up and that he’d “willingly” made the threats.

The former flight attendant is now facing federal charges for interfering with the operation of a commercial aircraft and for communicating false information which endangered the safety of an aircraft.

“We have fully supported the investigation into this matter and the individual is no longer employed at SkyWest,” said SkyWest spokeswoman Marissa Snow. “The safety and security of our customers and people are our top priority.”

[Photo: Southwest Multi-County Correction Center]