DC9 FLC DIVERTS TO DFW AFTER DISPATCHER ADVISES THEM OF A BOMB THREAT. FLC EMPHASIZED THE NEED FOR IMMEDIATE PAX EVAC BUT GND CTLR HAD THEM TAXI 2 MI TO THE BOMB SECURITY AREA FIRST.

Narrative

AT AB42 RECEIVED A MESSAGE OVER ACARS TO CALL NY FLT DISPATCH. CALLED NY FLT DISPATCH AND WAS INFORMED THAT THEY RECEIVED INFO THAT A BOMB WAS IN THE LUGGAGE COMPARTMENT. DECLARED AN EMER AND ASKED ATC TO VECTOR US TO THE NEAREST SUITABLE ARPT WHICH WAS DFW. WE WERE AT FL330 AND 34 NM S OF THE ARPT. ATC VECTORED US TO RWY 17L AND LANDED ON RWY 17L AT DFW. (ACFT LNDG WT WAS 88000 LBS.) WE FOLLOWED A FOLLOW-ME TRUCK TO WHERE THEY WANTED THE ACFT TO STOP. AFTER THE ACFT WAS STOPPED; WE EVACED THE PAX THROUGH THE FORWARD ENTRANCE DOOR AND DOWN THE AIRSTAIRS. COCKPIT CREW WAS DEBRIEFED BY FAA SPECIAL AGENTS. THE ACFT WAS DECLARED SAFE AND THE FLT CONTINUED TO STL. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: CAPT STATED THAT THE EVENT WAS WELL HANDLED BY ATC. THE PAX TOOK THE EVENT WELL ALSO. THE ACFT STAIRS ON THE DC9-30 WERE USED TO EVAC THE PAX AT THE SECURITY AREA. THE PIC TURNED IN A RPT TO HIS ACR. HE DID COMMENT ON THE 'LONG' TAXI TO THE SECURITY AREA NEAR THE APCH END OF RWY 17L. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 368274: AFTER LNDG; WE TAXIED TO BOMB THREAT AREA AND ATC HAD ACFT TAXI 2 MI TO PARKING. CAPT ALMOST STOPPED AND EVACED ACFT. WE WOULD HAVE STOPPED SOONER; BUT GND CTL SAID 3 TIMES TO CONTINUE FORWARD TO 'NEXT' EMER AND FIRE GROUP OF TRUCKS. NEXT TIME I'LL STOP CLR OF RWY AND GET PAX OFF. IF THEY WANT THE AIRPLANE SOMEWHERE ELSE; TOW IT.