The note was found just before 7 a.m. on an American Airlines flight bound for Dallas, said Atlanta police spokesman Carlos Campos.
Nov 2 incident:
— Atlanta Airport (@ATLairport) November 2, 2019
Shortly before 7am, prior to departure from the gate, a threatening note was found aboard an American Airlines flight bound for DFW. The passengers were disembarked and re-screened at the gate, and APD is on scene to conduct a security sweep of the plane. 1/2
Shortly before takeoff, a crew member discovered a sticker on the floor of the plane's galley that referenced people dying, police said.
“The pilot made the decision to come back to the gate so we could check the plane,” Campos said, adding that passengers were evacuated and rescreened once the aircraft returned to Concourse T.
Police searched the plane, but found nothing that posed a threat to passengers or crew members, authorities said. The all-clear was given and the airport returned to normal operations shortly before 9 a.m.
The airport appeared to run smoothly once the ground stop was lifted. At the Domestic North Terminal, passengers soon reported on-time departures and security lines were manageable.
It’s unclear what the note said or who stuck it to the floor of the plane, but Campos confirmed that no arrests were made.
I am sorry that your flight is delayed and the ATL is currently on a security ground stop. Please provide your flight number so I can check on the flight details. HPC
— Delta (@Delta) November 2, 2019
A Federal Aviation Administration spokesman said a list of delayed flights caused by Hartsfield-Jackson’s ground stop won’t be available until Monday.