ACR FLC RECEIVED A BOMB THREAT MINS BEFORE DEP. THE CAPT HAD ACFT DEPLANED AND SECURITY CHK WAS ACCOMPLISHED.

Narrative

AT APPROX XA10 LCL; A SERGEANT AND OFFICER OF THE LAS VEGAS METRO POLICE CAME TO THE ACFT AND TOLD ME THERE WAS A MAN TALKING TO A BAGGAGE AGENT ABOUT A BOMB THAT WAS ON OUR ACFT. I DEPLANED ALL THE PAX AND CREW. THE AUTHS HAD ALREADY CALLED FOR A BOMB SNIFFING DOG; THE FBI; AND AN X-RAY MACHINE. AIRLINE PERSONNEL MOVED THE ACFT OFF THE GATE TO A REMOTE AREA SO THE AUTHS COULD SWEEP THE ACFT. INITIALLY THE PAX WERE TOLD THAT THERE WAS A MECHANICAL PROB BUT LATER THEY WERE INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A SECURITY THREAT. I NOTIFIED DISPATCHER ON DUTY; MGR ON DUTY AND WORKED WITH LAS MGR ON DUTY. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: 2 OR 3 MINS BEFORE DEP; LAS VEGAS POLICE INFORMED CAPT THAT THEY HAD RECEIVED A BOMB THREAT. IDENT OF FLT; PAX INVOLVED; AND GARMENT BAG HAD BEEN GIVEN TO AIRLINE BAGGAGE SVC. CAPT TOLD PAX OF 'MECHANICAL' AND HAD THEM DEPLANE. ARPT MGR ORDERED ACFT REMOVED FROM GATE. AFTER HRS OF BAG SEARCHING (NOT COMPLETED) AND DOG SNIFFING; EVERYONE AGREED THAT THE THREAT WAS FALSE. DURING THE INCIDENT; RPTR LEARNED THAT SECURITY THREAT DECISIONS WERE A 'COMPANY CALL.' HE WAS INFLAMED BY THIS AND STATES THAT THEY (THE AIRLINE) JUST COLLECT THE INSURANCE; THE PEOPLE ON THE ACFT LOSE -- ALL IT TAKES IS A CLEVER PERSON TO DO SERIOUS DAMAGE. THIS POLICY HAS SINCE BEEN DISCUSSED BY COMPANY AND UNION; AND NEW POLICY IS ANTICIPATED. IT TURNS OUT THAT THE ONLY REASON THE POLICE WERE CALLED IS BECAUSE THE ARPT SWITCHBOARD OPERATOR EXTRACTED INFO FROM BAGGAGE PERSON; AND TOOK IT UPON HERSELF TO CONTACT POLICE. CAPT FEELS SHE SHOULD RECEIVE A GOLD STAR.