Passenger’s ‘bomb’ joke sparks chaos on Beirut-Paris flight

A passenger was detained in Lebanon after claiming he was carrying a bomb on a Middle East Airlines flight from Beirut to Paris on Monday, triggering a security alert and the evacuation and search of the aircraft before he later said he had been joking.

The MEA flight, numbered ME 229, was due to depart Beirut's Rafic Hariri International Airport for Paris at around 1pm.

Sources at Middle East Airlines told The New Arab that about 30 minutes before departure, the passenger claimed he was carrying a bomb while placing his bag in the overhead compartment.

The incident was immediately treated as a security threat, with all passengers ordered off the aircraft while security forces searched the plane and inspected passengers' luggage and belongings.

The passenger was detained for questioning and later told authorities that he had made the claim as a joke.

"The situation could only be handled in the way it was," an MEA source said.

"Anything of this nature must be treated as a security threat and cannot be dismissed as a joke. The lives of passengers and aviation safety are a priority, and all procedures must therefore be followed in accordance with security protocols."

The source apologised for the disruption caused by the incident, saying the passenger's actions had created confusion among travellers and delayed the flight.

Security sources separately told The New Arab that the passenger remained in custody while investigations continued and that the necessary legal measures would be taken against him.

According to his initial statement, the passenger said he had made the comment as a joke, which security sources described as a "heavy-handed joke".

The incident comes as Beirut airport undergoes a series of measures aimed at improving its operational efficiency, passenger experience and facilities, alongside heightened security procedures.

The airport has seen upgrades to its sanitary facilities and check-in counters, as well as improvements to the arrivals hall and tourism-related services. Work is also under way to introduce a "fast track" service aimed at streamlining passenger movement and speeding up procedures.

The measures form part of an ongoing effort to improve the airport's operational readiness, service quality and infrastructure in line with modern standards.

Last week, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam chaired a meeting to follow up on cabinet decisions concerning health, environmental safety and aviation safety measures around the airport.

Under the cabinet decisions, authorities agreed to begin implementing measures including a ban on keeping or raising birds of all types within five kilometres of the boundaries of Rafic Hariri International Airport.

Authorities will also take action against farms and slaughterhouses operating without legal licences, exceeding the limits of their licences or failing to comply with legally required conditions and standards.