Three Southern California Airports Closed by Threats

Today was a bad day to be an air traveler in Southern California. No less than three major airports were closed for a time due to bomb threats. John Wayne Orange County Airport and Long Beach Airport both had telephone threats, and apparently San Diego was shut down for even sillier reasons:

A terminal at San Diego International Airport was evacuated Tuesday after luggage screeners mistook a child's toy and a cookie for bomb- making components, officials said.

A screening machine at the Commuter Terminal detected what appeared to be bomb-making material in a carryon bag around 7:45 a.m., said Transportation Security Administration spokeswoman Jennifer Peppin.

A bomb squad was called to the terminal, which serves regional flights, and investigators determined the bag did not contain any "IED," or improvised explosive devices, Peppin said.

[...]

The discovery followed bomb threats called in earlier Tuesday to airports in Long Beach and Orange County. The calls triggered massive searches of both facilities but no explosive devices were found.

As a result, flights were canceled or delayed, and hundreds, if not thousands, of air travelers were inconvenienced or possibly even stranded. With many flights running at capacity these days, one cancellation can leave a planeload of people with literally no place to go.

I know we have to be careful in light of the many threats that exist today, but it's not too comforting for frequent fliers to know that any idiot with a phone...or any mom with a toy and cookie parts...can shut down your travel plans anytime he or she wants.