NEW YORK, Feb 10: An American Airlines flight was delayed for over four hours on Friday after a passenger’s Wi-Fi hotspot name raised concerns at Austin Airport. The hotspot, labeled "I have a bomb," led authorities to board Flight 2863, which was scheduled to fly to Charlotte, North Carolina.

The incident began when a passenger reportedly showed a flight attendant a tablet displaying the suspicious hotspot name. The attendant immediately contacted the cockpit, and the pilot made an announcement that the flight would return to the gate due to an "administrative issue." He later clarified that the issue stemmed from the passenger’s hotspot, which had a bomb-related name.

As the situation unfolded, a police officer boarded the plane to investigate, urging the person responsible for the hotspot name to come forward. "If this is a joke, please raise your hand now," the officer reportedly said, warning that it would be handled differently if it were a prank. However, when no one admitted to the act, all passengers were instructed to disembark.

The passengers were held inside the terminal and underwent security screening once again. In the meantime, the plane was swept for explosives, and the baggage was removed from the aircraft for inspection. As the investigation continued, K9 units were deployed to inspect the luggage both on the plane and on the tarmac.

The flight, which was originally scheduled to depart at 1:42 p.m., was finally cleared and took off at 6:15 p.m., five hours behind schedule. One passenger shared their frustration on social media, commenting that the delay was "infuriating" as they were unable to determine who was responsible for the prank.

The incident was not the first of its kind. In 2014, a similar situation led to a 17-hour delay on an American Airlines flight. The flight, traveling from Los Angeles to London, had to return to the gate when a passenger’s hotspot was named "Al-Quida Free Terror Nettwork." The incident in 2014 also required passengers to be removed from the plane, with some even needing to stay in hotels overnight.

American Airlines and Austin-Bergstrom International Airport have not yet commented on this particular incident, but the situation highlights the importance of airline and airport security protocols when it comes to ensuring passenger safety.