Flyer fined for bomb threat idiocy

Idiot of the Week award goes to airline passenger Liu Jinqi.

The Chinese traveller has fined - but unfortunately not banned for life - for communicating a fake bomb threat to budget airline AirAsia.

Liu, 28, wanted to change her seat, but after several attempts to contact the airline failed, she opted to take drastic action, travel news hub Travel Mole reported.

After attempts to talk to the airline through its website and via email failed to get a response, she took to the airline’s chatbot system.

She wrote: “Human service emergency, bomb dangerous.”

The airline promptly contacted police.

The travel twit was in Malaysia and booked an AirAsia flight from Tawau in Sabah to Kuala Lumpur, ahead of another flight from KL back to Beijing, China.

Liu and her travel companion were tracked down and arrested and Liu pleaded guilty to a charge of criminal intimidation in a Malaysian court.

She was fined RM5,000 (around $1800).

“I only wanted to change my seat," said entitled Liu.

"I had tried contacting AirAsia, but there was no response. That is why I used the word ‘bomb’ so that my message would get immediate attention.”

There are dickheads among us - thankfully this one is in jail

The world is full of dickheads - but an American man this week admitted to being among the biggest dickheads out there.

Joshua Lowe from Michigan was sentenced to eight months in prison for making a hoax bomb threat to a cruise line, news portal Travel Mole reported.

He made the threat as he was upset his girlfriend and her family were taking a cruise without him and left him to look after their pets. 

Lowe was sentenced last week in a US court.

Federal prosecutors said Carnival Cruise Line received a January 2024 email stating: “Hey, I think someone might have a bomb on your Carnival Sunrise cruise ship.”

The cruise ship had just departed Miami en route for Jamaica.

Due to the threat, ship crew searched more than 1000 cabins for a potential bomb. 

The US Coast Guard was alerted and the Jamaica Marine Police escorted the ship into port.

Lowe admitted the offence when questioned and said he was upset over his girlfriend going on the cruise without him.

He could have been sent to prison for up to five years but his sentence of eight months was far lower. He will, however, also be required to pay restitution for expenses associated with the hoax.

“Bomb threats are not a laughing matter and are extremely irresponsible,” said Cheyvoryea Gibson, special agent in charge of the FBI in Michigan.

“When individuals make false hoax threats, they divert critical law enforcement resources and spread unnecessary fear.”

Bring back the stocks, I say.