'Suspicious comment' leads to closure of LAX
18 February 2008Los Angeles international airport (LAX) was forced to close over the weekend after a passenger made a "suspicious comment", reports claim.
The man was taken into FBI custody on February 17th and the airport was evacuated for two hours, the Associated Press reports.
Many people may have relied on their travel insurance after a number of Southwest and US Airways flights, which were due to carry more than 1,800 passengers, were delayed.
Airport spokesman Albert Rodriguez did not confirm exactly what was said to prompt the security alert.
A police bomb squad searched the passenger and his luggage but no weapons or explosive devices were found.
LAX is the world's fifth busiest passenger airport and handled more than 61 million passengers in 2006.
It serves as the departure point for flights around the globe provided by carriers including Air India, British Airways and Virgin Atlantic.