I meant to post this a week ago when it happened, but I've been on the road the past couple of weeks.

On 08/07/08 I flew on DL 879, a routine AM, short haul flight from ATL to TPA using 767-300 equipment.

As boarding time came, a PA announcement was made in the gate area that a security sweep of the aircraft had to be made and that we'd board in 30 minutes. I stayed near the gate / podium for a few to see if I could overhear anything as to what was happening only to get chased away as DL staff was talking. I then left the boarding area for about 20 minutes to get coffee, returned to hear another "it'll be a few more minutes - we apologise for the delay but security is top priority" type announcement.

Upon boarding the plane, pilot gets on the PA and announces the aircraft had just come in as a redeye from LAX and said it was necessary to do a "first of the morning security sweep" and apologized.

I fly DL from time to time, but not on a regular basis (I typically fly AA). I can't say that I buy the "security sweep" excuse as being "routine because the inbound had just arrived from LAX" - I suspect something more happened, unless our pilot was a real security freak. If it was "routine", then why a delay and a big stink about it over the PA at the gate?

Sure, I accept it was a security sweep, but what was the REAL reason? FWIW, I had to return to TPA and took the same flight a couple days ago and had no such security sweep or delay.

Most other equipment had also been inbound from redeyes and were not delayed due to security reasons (ok, I didn't hear announcements or see posted delays for security at other nearby gates).

Anyone experience anything like this with DL recently?

SDF_Traveler