NEW ORLEANS- A passenger’s inability to pay parking fees at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY) prompted bomb threat calls on November 7, 2025. Corey Johnson faces up to 10 years in federal prison for the hoax.
The incident began with a payment dispute in the short-stay garage and escalated into two threatening calls. Law enforcement arrested Johnson the same night after tracing his cellphone.
Bomb Threat at New Orleans Airport
Corey Johnson, 35, from Louisiana, attempted to exit the short-stay parking garage in his Jeep Grand Cherokee around 7:48 PM.
His payment card failed, and he had no other funds. Parking garage police and local airport police requested multiple times that he move the vehicle from the exit lane, but Johnson refused.
He later moved the Jeep Grand Cherokee to the surface parking lot to obtain payment. At 9:50 p.m., he called the airport communications center and stated: “Page Hassan… If you do not page him, we have the bomb.”
He repeated, “We have the bomb if you do not page him,” then disconnected.
At 10:35 PM, Johnson made a second call. He told the operator: “Didn’t I tell you, you stupid f****ing b***h, I will cut your f****ing throat!” He added: “Page Hassan… I want him to bring the bomb to level 3.”
Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies initiated an emergency ping of the cellphone used for both calls.
The ping located the device near the north terminal at MSY. The number linked to Johnson, matching the earlier parking standoff. Deputies found him in his Jeep Grand Cherokee on the surface lot and arrested him on November 7, 2025.
According to PYOK, the FBI affidavit filed in a Louisiana courthouse detailed the rapid investigation.
A federal grand jury indicted Johnson on November 20 for willfully conveying false bomb threat information, violating 18 U.S.C. § 844(e).
The US Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Louisiana states that maximum penalties include 10 years imprisonment, a $250,000 fine, 3 years supervised release, and a $100 special assessment. Johnson received bail as the prosecution gets underway.
Motive and Airport Disruption
Investigators speculate Johnson sought a terminal evacuation. This would open all parking barriers, allowing vehicles to exit quickly without payment. No explosives existed.
The hoax halted operations at MSY briefly and triggered security sweeps, delaying flights.
Although prosecutors have not confirmed a motive, early speculation suggests Johnson may have believed a bomb threat would force an evacuation that would open all parking barriers, enabling him to exit the garage without paying.
Aviation security analysts note that even when no explosives are involved, hoax threats force the deployment of resources across multiple agencies and justify strong federal prosecution due to operational disruption.
The US Attorney’s Office indicates that maximum sentences in such cases are uncommon, but defendants still face significant penalties, and convictions remain part of a permanent federal criminal record.
The incident reinforces a zero-tolerance posture toward airport-related threats to discourage copycat behavior and protect critical infrastructure.
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