A sunbird returning from Florida to Canada was arrested after making a bomb threat when Air Canada tried to charge him for his carry-on bag. His threat prompted an evacuation of three terminals for four hours.
Irate Air Canada Passenger Makes Bomb Threat Over Baggage Fee, Forcing Airport Evacuation
The incident occurred at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport (FLL) last Saturday around 8:30am. Wegel Rosen, 74, approached the Air Canada to check in for his flight to Toronto. Rosen spends part of the year in Florida and was returning home.
When informed of the fee for his carry-on bag, he engaged in a “heated verbal argument” with the gate agent. The argument escalated when Rosen tried to pay for his bag in cash was told Air Canada was a cashless carrier. He was directed to another terminal to purchase a visa gift card in which to pay for the bag. Angered, he stated there was a bomb in the bag and walking away, leaving the bag at counter.
His warning prompted an evacuation of Terminals 2, 3, and 4. Broward County deputies and bomb squad agents examined his bag and found no explosive material. Instead, the bag contained his CPAP machine, which Rosen uses to assist in sleeping.
Air Canada offers economy class passengers one complimentary carry-on bag plus one personal items, so my guess was that his bag was overweight or too large and he was forced to check it.
Rosen spent the weekend in jail before appearing before a judge on Monday afternoon. She set his bail at $20,000 and allowed him to return to Canada, but forbid him from lying out of Fort Lauderdale Airport.
“To get back to Canada, [you’ll] have to go through Miami, West Palm Beach or any other county.”
Speaking on his behalf before the judge, Rosen’s attorney said, “He said the magic words you do not say.” No kidding…
CONCLUSION
The evacuation was probably overkill–I would have simply opened his bag and verified he was full of it–but protocol was followed. This story demonstrates that we need to pick our battles wisely, as a $30 bag fee has turned into $20,000 in bail and potentially up to 15 years in jail.
Mug Shot: Broward County Sheriff’s Office
If the bag only contained his CPAP machine. He could have carryed-on it as a “medical device” which would have not counted against his carry-on limit and avoided the fee.
Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.
Can he use cash to pay for bail? 🙂
I think it is stupid they wouldn’t take cash since some people don’t have credit cards. Of course it is dumber to say what he did. And finally it may even be dumber to clear a terminal because they had to know the guy was upset and was likely just making a false claim. Not like there was no conflict and he just did it.
I wouldnt want to be lying out of FLL either
This Wesel Rogen guy looks like he could be Adelaide Schrowang’s grandfather.
No doubt he shouldn’t be allowed to soil our shores once again. In order to become a snowbird he will have to move to Yellowknife so he can winter in Vancouver!!! Oh BTW as further punishment make him watch season highlight reels of thd Toronto Maple Leafs starting from 1968 onwards-on a continuous loop!!!
Couple things:
– From the picture, the guy looks like a total loser;
– He was sent to buy a gift card to pay for the luggage? Really? So this guy spent time in Florida with no credit card?;
– The evacuation was BS. Yes, it is protocol but anyone with some common sense would know this moron didn’t have a bomb in his bag.
Lacking a credit card, he could ask others in the gate if they would pay for his bag in return for getting cash. I’m sure there’s a helpful passenger who would do so.
Years ago, I ran out of money and couldn’t get home from the airport. I thought of two ways. 1. use light rail which is easy to evade the fair or 2. ask for money. I asked someone to borrow $5 which I would pay them back by Paypal. They agreed.
I am not an idiot. I can spell “fare”
Your an idiot
He should plead not guilty by reason of insanity. Only a nut would say he has a bomb in his bag when he doesn’t.
He’s also nuts because if he was willing to leave the bag and abandon it, he could have thrown it in the dumpster for free. If he packed his bag correctly, then the CPAP machine could be exempted as personal medical equipment.
There is nothing more rigid or mindless than the US Law Enforcement apparatus. Big, expensive, bureaucratic, and generally useless.
I bet local leaders are busy handing out compliments and commendations today to the brave responders, for their professionalism and dedication.
And while we’re on this, why does it take 3 hours to give the all-clear? Once they opened the bag with their $20 million robot, and found his machine inside, and saw no bomb in that machine – what were they doing the rest of the time? Collecting overtime?
“The evacuation was probably overkill–I would have simply opened his bag and verified he was full of it–but protocol was followed.”
“The evacuation was BS. Yes, it is protocol but anyone with some common sense would know this moron didn’t have a bomb in his bag.”
Hmm…20/20 hindsight is beautiful isn’t it???
I wonder if either one of you would have volunteered to walk up to open the bag yourself.
A menace to society. Execute.