A false security alarm delayed on Sunday a British Airways plane at Paris’ international airport.
Police and firefighters checked the plane on the tarmac of the Charles de Gaulle airport after reports of a security threat, which turned out to be a false alarm.
A spokesman for France's national gendarme service said police and firefighters rushed to the scene after receiving a "security alert."
Passengers were evacuated from Flight BA303 at Charles de Gaulle airport before it was due to fly to London for what officials said was a security reason.
The spokesman said each passenger and each bag was checked and the plane was thoroughly examined but no threats were found.
He would not elaborate on the nature of the original alert. The spokesman was not authorized to be publicly named according to gendarme policy.
"The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our top priority. Additional security checks are being carried out as a precaution," British Airways said in a statement when asked about the flight.
One passenger on the plane said it was surrounded by dozens of armed officers and firefighters.
James Anderson, a 20-year-old entrepreneur on the flight from Paris to London's Heathrow Airport, told The Associated Press that the pilot initially told passengers there were technical issues.
After about an hour, he said passengers were told the aircraft had to move to another part of the airport and that's when security officers surrounded the plane.
"The pilot then said there had been a direct security threat involving our flight," Anderson told the AP.
