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Plane Diverted To JFK; Officials Say No Ties To Terrorism POSTED: 6:31 am EDT July 12, 2007 A flight from Los Angeles to London was diverted to New York early Thursday because a passenger was believed to have breached security. Within hours, federal officials dismissed the possibility of terrorism. A flight attendant on the American Airlines plane became concerned that a passenger might not have gone through proper security screening before boarding the London Heathrow Airport-bound flight at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday evening, said airline spokeswoman Sonja Whitemon. A flight attendant on the American Airlines plane became concerned that a passenger might not have gone through proper security screening before boarding the London Heathrow Airport-bound flight at Los Angeles International Airport Wednesday evening, said airline spokeswoman Sonja Whitemon. The flight attendant had seen the male passenger ride to the terminal on an employee bus and bypass security, as employees are able to do, Whitemon said. The flight attendant had seen the male passenger ride to the terminal on an employee bus and bypass security, as employees are able to do, Whitemon said. After talking to the passenger, flight crew members decided they needed to divert the plane to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to search the cabin and re-screen the 230 passengers, in keeping with standard security procedures, she said. After talking to the passenger, flight crew members decided they needed to divert the plane to New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport to search the cabin and re-screen the 230 passengers, in keeping with standard security procedures, she said. The incident appeared to have "no nexus to terrorism," the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement. The incident appeared to have "no nexus to terrorism," the Transportation Security Administration said in a statement. Authorities were questioning the passenger Thursday morning at JFK, officials said. Authorities were questioning the passenger Thursday morning at JFK, officials said. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told CNN the passenger may have been an airline worker traveling for pleasure, but Whitemon said she could not confirm whether the passenger was an airline employee. Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff told CNN the passenger may have been an airline worker traveling for pleasure, but Whitemon said she could not confirm whether the passenger was an airline employee. The plane landed at JFK at about 3:30 a.m., said Alan Hicks, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. The plane landed at JFK at about 3:30 a.m., said Alan Hicks, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. The flight was later canceled because the unplanned stop ended up exhausting the crew's allowed flight time, and passengers were transferred to other flights, Whitemon said. The flight was later canceled because the unplanned stop ended up exhausting the crew's allowed flight time, and passengers were transferred to other flights, Whitemon said. The flight scare came amid renewed anxieties about potential terrorist attacks. Chertoff said this week he had a "gut feeling" that the United States faced a heightened risk of attack this summer. The flight scare came amid renewed anxieties about potential terrorist attacks. Chertoff said this week he had a "gut feeling" that the United States faced a heightened risk of attack this summer. Numerous government officials have said they know of no specific, credible threat of a new attack on U.S. soil. Numerous government officials have said they know of no specific, credible threat of a new attack on U.S. soil. IMAGES IN THE NEWS © 2007 by WNBC.com The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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FAA diagram for John F. Kennedy International Airport.
An American Airlines plane, Flight 136 carrying 230 passengers was traveling from Los Angeles, California to London, England when it was diverted to John F. Kennedy International Airport due to a suspicious passenger.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) states that "the flight crew alerted security to a suspicious person on board" and the plane was then diverted to JFK Airport while it was still en route to London. The plane made an emergency landing at 4:00 a.m. (eastern time).

The man was traveling alone, and was taken into custody after the plane landed safely. Reports also say that the unnamed individual was riding an employee bus, then boarded the plane, but does not have proper identification which says he works for the airline.

"It may very well turn out that this is nothing more than a misunderstanding with an employee who used an employee bus to get on a plane for a private flight," said Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff.

The man boarded the plane without proceeding through security screenings, but Chertoff states that the Middle Eastern man had purchased a round trip ticket for the flight.

"The individual in question was, in fact, an employee who was traveling in a private capacity," added Chertoff.

Andrea McCauley, a spokeswoman for the TSA says the flight has been canceled, and all passengers were being checked, along with the plane, but authorities did not find anything suspicious. 

Passengers were told that the plane had run out of fuel and are being reassigned to different flights.