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SWAT Storms JetBlue Flight After Receiving a Hijacking Alert
JT Genter
Contributor
JT is a location-independent digital nomad traveling 250,000+ miles each year with his wife Katie.
June 27, 2018
•
2 min read
SWAT Storms JetBlue Flight After Receiving a Hijacking Alert
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A "radio problem" caused panic at New York Kennedy (JFK) airport Tuesday night. A JetBlue flight departing New York City for Los Angeles (LAX) lost contact with air traffic control and the miscommunication led to the aircraft being stormed by a SWAT team.
JFK professional aircraft spotter Shaq noticed something was amiss a little after 8:00pm on Tuesday night, pinging JetBlue on Twitter about the flight.
But the flight wouldn't depart anytime soon. At 8:36pm, Shaq posted a photo of the aircraft surrounded by emergency vehicles.
According to a CNN law enforcement source, the aircraft "sent out a hijack code notifying air traffic control that there was a security threat onboard." This likely was the pilot sending out a 7500 code on the aircraft's transponder — an indication to air traffic control that the aircraft has been hijacked.
It seems likely that the pilots meant to set the transponder to 7600 — indicating a loss of radio communications — as air traffic control was unable to contact the aircraft after receiving the hijacking code.
With JFK just minutes away from one of the most densely populated centers in the US, law enforcement officials didn't take chances, approaching and ultimately storming the aircraft. A passenger on the flight reported that "SWAT came and told us to pull our phones away and leave (our) hands up." Against better judgement, she snapped these photos of the situation.
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Note: The flight was operated by JetBlue, not Delta as referenced in the tweet.
After the aircraft and passengers were cleared, the flight was re-assigned to another aircraft. Despite the long ordeal, JetBlue Flight 1623 arrived in Los Angeles at 2:25am local time, three hours and 32 minutes after its scheduled arrival.
The aircraft involved in the mishap — an Airbus A321 with registration N944JT — didn't end up operating this flight. But, it seems the radio communication issue was a quick fix as the aircraft is scheduled to depart JFK Wednesday at 12:37pm for Los Angeles (LAX).
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Best for dining at restaurants
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Go to reviewCard Rating is based on the opinion of TPG‘s editors and is not influenced by the card issuer.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
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$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
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- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.