Police say man in fake bomb scare at airport was mad about baggage fee

Police say a man who was arrested for making a false bomb threat at a Florida airport was angry about a baggage fee.

Wegal Rosen, 74, was arrested on Saturday for an altercation at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, according to the Broward County Sheriff’s Office. 

Rosen is charged with one count of false reporting concerning planting a bomb, explosive or weapon of mass destruction. 

At around 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, Rosen got into a heated exchange with an employee for Air Canada while attempting to check in for a flight to Toronto over an additional charge for baggage and the airline’s no-cash policy, according to court records.

During the exchange, Rosen was advised that he needed to walk to another terminal to purchase a credit card to pay for his carry-on.

As Rosen attempted to walk away, an employee told him that he needed to bring take his bag. In response, Rosen apparently told the employee there was a bomb in the bag.

According to the filing, three airport terminals were evacuated, and there was a “complete shutdown of airport operations for four hours.”

Rosen later told investigators that he made the false threat because he was mad at the way the employee treated him.

“Mr. Rosen stated that he was aggravated and frustrated over how the Air Canada employee treated him and talked to him in reference to paying for his carry-on luggage,” authorities said in the court filing.

Rosen is being held on a $20,000 bond, according to arrest records.

The Hill has reached out to Air Canada for comment.