Passenger Removed From American Airlines Flight at Tampa International After Security Concern

A Palmetto man was removed from an American Airlines flight at Tampa International Airport after making a comment that was interpreted as a potential security threat, airport officials said.

According to Tampa International Airport, the Airport Operations Center was notified around 7:13 p.m. by the flight crew of American Airlines flight 3203, which was taxiing for departure to Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Washington, D.C. The crew reported that a male passenger made a comment to another passenger that raised security concerns.

The aircraft was escorted to a designated area on the airfield, where airport police boarded the plane and removed the passenger. All remaining passengers were transported back to the main terminal and rescreened by the Transportation Security Administration. The aircraft was also rescreened by the Airport Police Department and cleared to return to the gate.

Federal Bureau of Investigation personnel interviewed the man who was removed from the flight. He was later released pending further investigation.

American Airlines confirmed the incident, stating that the flight was met by law enforcement prior to departure due to a possible security issue and thanked crew members for their professionalism and passengers for their patience.

The airline reported that the flight ultimately departed for Washington, D.C. on Wednesday morning.