A civilian-model taser turned a routine hop from Houston to Dallas into an unexpected security drill on Tuesday at William P. Hobby Airport, after it was discovered on board a Southwest Airlines jet. The find forced everyone off Southwest Flight 28, bound for Dallas Love Field, and the plane did not leave for roughly two and a half hours past its scheduled departure time.
A law enforcement source told KPRC that an airline crewmember spotted the device and identified it as a civilian taser rather than one issued to police. After the discovery, the captain ordered every passenger to be re-screened. Houston Airport System staff and law enforcement escorted travelers off the aircraft, and TSA agents screened them again before allowing them back on board. Passengers also said extra screening continued after landing in Dallas, and Southwest told local reporters it was treating the situation as a “security incident,” according to KPRC.
Security strain at Hobby
The incident hit as Hobby was already straining under a spring break passenger surge and thin TSA staffing that has lengthened checkpoint lines in recent days, airport officials have warned. FOX 26 Houston reported that the airport has been urging travelers to arrive early since screening lanes have at times been reduced.
What passengers experienced
Travelers on Flight 28 described being walked off the jet, funneled through a second round of security checks, then re-boarding once crews and law enforcement cleared the aircraft. Some passengers said agents later scanned boarding passes again and checked carry-on bags after the plane arrived at Dallas Love Field. The episode slots into a run of recent in-flight and airport security disruptions that have kept crews and authorities on edge…