A series of anonymous phone calls with threats to commercial flights bound for New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts on Monday prompted authorities to take extra precautions and escort the flights to safety.
The FBI confirmed that there was an anonymous tip claiming that some chemical weapons were in the Air France flight 22 to New York, according to ABC News. Thus, U.S. Air Force jets escorted the plane until it landed safely at the JFK International Airport.
After the Air France flight from Paris landed in a secured zone of the JFK Airport, a thorough search was conducted by authorities and the flight was cleared moments later, the publication added.
A plane owned by the Saudi Arabian Airlines had also been threatened but was later cleared and landed at Kennedy, according to the Associated Press.
An American Airlines jet flying from Birmingham, England also encountered a threat while in the air, forcing its pilot to land in a remote terminal, according to airline spokesman Kent Powell. After it was cleared, Powell said the plane also landed at Kennedy.
Passengers of a United Airlines flights from Madrid were immediately vacated because of a threat, spokeswoman Mary Clark said, according to AP. The plane was cleared after it was checked at the Newark Liberty International Airport.
Another flight to Newark - a Delta Airlines flight from London - also received a threat but turned out to be a hoax.
Another Delta Airlines flight from Paris that arrived at Logan Airport in Boston received a threat but turned out to be false as well, authorities said.
