Sept. 17 (UPI) — A British Airways jet was evacuated Sunday at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris because of a “direct threat,” officials said.
Flight BA303 was due to take off 7:25 a.m. Sunday bound for Heathrow in London when the incident occurred.
Passengers waited on the tarmac near Terminal 2 as security personnel and sniffer dogs searched bags and aircraft.
Police and fire engines surrounded the plane on the tarmac.
British traveler James Anderson, 20, posted on Twitter, “Apparently an individual has made a direct threat to this aircraft.”
After the plane was cleared, he tweeted: “Our pilot was an absolute credit to @British-Airways. Extremely calm and composed, handled the situation wonderfully.”
The Airbus 320 took off at 11:10 a.m., a British Airways spokeswoman confirmed.
“The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority,” the airline said in a statement. “Additional security checks are being carried out as a precaution. We would never operate a flight unless it is safe to do so.”
French police said evacuation of the plane was triggered by a “false alarm.”
The security threat came two days after an explosion rocked a crowded London subway car, injuring at least 29, in what officials say was a terror attack.
