Two Air France flights diverted, landed safely in US

Two Air France flights headed from the United States to Paris were diverted because of bomb threats, officials said.

In a brief statement, Air France said both flights had been the “subjects of anonymous threats received after their respective take-offs”.

The first aircraft, out of Los Angeles, had landed in Salt Lake City (Utah), but left five hours later for Paris- the time to “make a complete check of the aircraft, passengers and their baggage”, in the words of a company spokesman.

Meanwhile, Air France said it also diverted its Flight 55 that departed from Dulles Airport near Washington, D.C., for Paris and redirected it to Halifax in Nova Scotia, Canada, because of a similar threat.

Since the Air France flight was diverted over Eastern Idaho that got us thinking how well equipped is the Pocatello Regional Airport to land large aircrafts.

Authorities investigated both planes and found no evidence of an explosive device.

The FBI was taking over the investigation of the plane in Salt Lake City, which was diverted because of a threat received by phone after takeoff, Salt Lake airport spokeswoman Bianca Shreeve said.

Flight 65, which was carrying more than 400 passengers, also landed safely.

Russo said he had just finished dinner on the Airbus A380, which CNN says carried 497 passengers, when cabin staff took trays away early and the pilot announced an emergency landing.

Authorities were unable to confirm any credible threat onboard Flight 65 which eventually took off for Paris.

Once the passengers had been “deplaned” at Salt Lake City, said Russo, they were told that they were to be interviewed with regard to the “unsafe flying condition”.

However, flight 55 remained in Canada and no return time has been issued. No further details on that threat were released.

“There were huge buses when we landed that they loaded us all on”.

Police said the passenger was intoxicated and had to be restrained.

“I think it was the best option for the crew, they couldn’t continue if there was any risk of having a bomb”, she said after disembarking.

The emergence landings come amid heightened tensions after last Friday night’s attacks in Paris, where a series of coordinated strikes killed 129 people across the French capital.