Security incident: Plane from Edmonton grounded in Vancouver after passenger received threat on his phone

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) are investigating a security incident at Vancouver International Airport that blocked a flight from Edmonton for more than two hours overnight from Friday to Saturday.

According to Richmond RCMP, a passenger on Flair Airlines flight F8 2799 (Boeing 737 MAX 8 registered C-FLZZ) received “electronic communications on his mobile phone of a possible threat“.

Vancouver International Airport said upon arriving at 23:44 Friday, the plane was held on the taxiway until about 01:00 Saturday. Subsequently, the police boarded before disembarking the passengers and crew around 02:15.

“The passengers and crew disembarked after a brief investigation into suspicious activity on board the aircraft by a passenger,” said a spokesperson for the airline Flair Airlines.

“Real or perceived threats in any form will be thoroughly investigated. The safety of flight crews, passengers and the public will always be of paramount concern to us,” said Corporal Denis Hwang, Communications Officer at Richmond RCMP.

No one has been arrested following this incident.