March 9, 2026 — Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport — Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 from Nashville to Fort Lauderdale was diverted here after a passenger disturbance involving a phone timer set for Ramadan prayer time, which was perceived as a potential threat, leading to law enforcement intervention including SWAT and K-9 units.
The flight departed Nashville International Airport at 7:15 p.m. Friday. About 30 minutes later, flight attendants instructed passengers to put their heads down and hands up amid the disturbance, the FAA reported. The aircraft landed around 9 p.m., where armed officers boarded, surrounded the plane and removed one passenger after passengers waited on the tarmac for about an hour. K-9 units inspected bags, and passengers endured several hours of delay before boarding a replacement flight that arrived in Fort Lauderdale just before 3:30 a.m. Saturday.
The FBI and Atlanta Police Department investigated, interviewing the passenger and determining no credible threat existed. No charges were filed.
Passenger Experiences
Passengers described tense moments.
“They came over the loudspeaker, instructing passengers to put their heads down and hands up,” passenger Sarah Porter told WKRN. “We didn’t know if it was something mechanical, something medical.”
Her mother, Julie Porter, added:
“The first time I at least knew that there was someone dangerous on the plane was when the SWAT team came on and started yelling at us… I feel like it was a little maybe dangerous having us sit with that guy for an hour-and-a-half before they detained him.”
Sarah Porter noted the passenger became agitated and began texting, which reportedly triggered the response.
Airline and Official Statements
Southwest Airlines issued a statement:
“We appreciate the professionalism of our Flight Crew and sincerely apologize to our Customers for the significant delay. Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of its Customers and Employees.”
The FBI’s statement confirmed:
“It was determined that the threat received was not credible.”
Related Incidents
The diversion occurred amid a weekend of security scares at U.S. airports. In Kansas City, an evacuation lasted about two hours after a potential device report, with operations resuming Sunday afternoon after confirming no threat. In Birmingham, passengers deplaned a flight due to a security concern; the aircraft was swept and cleared.
