Man Who Didn't Want To Pay Baggage Fee Shuts Down Airport With Fake Bomb Threat

An elderly man who didn't want to pay the baggage fee at the airport issued a fake bomb threat in protest.

74-year-old Wegal Rosen, was at the Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport taking a flight to Toronto when he got into a heated argument with an airline agent after they told him he would have to pay a fee to take his bag on the aircraft.

According to a complaint from the Broward Sheriff’s office, Rosen was at the Air Canada counter when he "engaged in a heated verbal argument" with an airline employee over "additional charges for baggage and the airline's no cash policy".

In a fit of rage, Rosen reportedly abandoned his baggage at the ticket counter in front of the airline agent and walked away.

When the airline agent told Rosen that he had to take the bag with him, the elderly man retorted that he was carrying a bomb inside the bag.

What followed Rosen’s threat "was a frenzied response from airport officials and local law enforcement," reports The Washington Post.

Rosen’s comment forced the officials to evacuate three terminals and a "complete shut down of airport operations for over 4 hours," NBC reported.

"Three terminals were evacuated and swept, police said, roadways were closed, eight flights were canceled and dozens were delayed."

However, authorities soon realized that Rosen was faking a threat and had made up the hoax to cause distress at the airport.

Rosen was quickly arrested and charged with falsely reporting a bomb threat. If convicted he may face up to 15 years in prison. According to his arrest records, a $20,000 bond was set on him.

He attended a magistrate hearing on Monday, July 19, and was ordered that he could not go back to the airport nor possess weapons or ammo.

In 2019, Rosen was charged with a third-degree felony charge of battery after he attacked another resident of the retirement community where he lives in.

However, all charges were dropped and Rosen was not punished.

A defense attorney told the Sun-Sentinal, that it is unlikely that the charges will be dropped this time.