The court delivered a severe judgment, demonstrating that aviation security brooks no levity when it comes to mentions of explosives.
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An Istanbul court has rendered a stringent penalty to a passenger for uttering an ill-conceived jest on an AJet flight regarding a “live bomb.” This “prank” resulted in a three-hour delay and the evacuation of all passengers.
This is according to TRT Haber’s report.
A woman who cracked an inappropriate joke during an Istanbul-Sanliurfa flight, referring to her sibling as a “living bomb,” received a sentence of 4 years and 2 months of imprisonment for “impeding the operation of an aircraft.”
According to the inquiry, on February 9, 2026, a conversation between two sisters aboard flight VF 3222, poised for departure from Sabiha Gokcen Airport, transformed into a safety incident. One sister, addressing a steward, gestured towards her sister and quipped: “She's a live bomb, don't permit her to board.”
In the aftermath of this remark, all essential safety procedures were immediately set in motion. Passengers were removed, and the aircraft was inspected by law enforcement for explosive materials. Despite the absence of any threat, the flight suffered a delay of about three hours, causing inconvenience to numerous travelers.
Both sisters were taken into custody. During questioning, they maintained that it was merely a “joke” and affirmed they possessed no explosives. The women were subsequently released on bond, but the airline imposed a one-year ban, preventing them from utilizing their services.
Given that this transgression doesn’t necessitate testimony from victims, the prosecution initiated legal proceedings independently. The bill of indictment sought punishment under the statute pertaining to “impeding the operation of an aircraft.”
The judgment was announced at the inaugural session at the Anatolian Court in Istanbul. The court determined that the defendant’s conduct represented a hazard to aviation safety and sentenced her to 4 years and 2 months’ imprisonment. Should the appeals court uphold the ruling, the woman will fulfill her term in jail.
It is further noted that the airline intends to file a civil action against her, seeking restitution for material losses arising from the flight postponement and economic setbacks.
As a reminder, at the Polish airport in Gdansk, a 49-year-old woman was fined and denied entry onto an Egypt-bound flight due to an unfortunate jest concerning a bomb in her baggage. Although a bomb detection screening yielded no findings, the crew disallowed her boarding, and the Polish woman received a report from border officials for disrupting airport activities, instead of realizing her anticipated vacation.
Source: tsn.ua