Southwest flight to Denver checked for security threat

A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport in this 2014 file photo.
A Southwest Airlines jet takes off from Washington's Ronald Reagan National Airport in this 2014 file photo.

DENVER -- Authorities say a Southwest Airlines plane finishing a flight from Baltimore to Denver was parked in a remote area at Denver International Airport Saturday evening because of an unspecified security threat.

Airport spokesman Heath Montgomery tells the Denver Post hat the 126 passengers were shuttled to the main terminal by bus.

The Post reports that authorities were made aware of the threat about 5:15 p.m. and the plane landed safely at the airport at 6:36 p.m.

Montgomery identified the plane as Southwest Flight 3456.

He deferred other questions from the newspaper to the FBI, which is investigating along with Denver police and the Transportation Security Administration.

Southwest spokesman Brad Hawkins said he could not immediately identify the nature of the threat.

"Out of an abundance of caution, the captain in command of Flight 3456 from Baltimore/Washington to Denver has stopped short of the gate after an uneventful landing to allow the authorities at Denver International Airport access to the aircraft," he said in an e-mail to the Post.

"We don't have further details to share except to reiterate that the safe operation of every flight is a shared priority of all agencies and operators involved in commercial aviation. Our employees are working with any of the 126 customers whose travel plans will be impacted by the delayed arrival at the terminal."

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