Date:	Monday 17 July 2000
Time:
Type:	Avro RJ100
Owner/operator:	CityFlyer Express
Registration:
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 101
Aircraft damage:	None
Category:	UI
Location:	London-Gatwick Airport (LGW) -   United Kingdom
Phase:	Unknown
Nature:	Passenger - Scheduled
Departure airport:	Zürich-Kloten Airport (ZRH/LSZH)
Destination airport:	London-Gatwick Airport (LGW/EGKK)

Narrative:
CityFlyer Express flight 8106 was hijacked while en route to London's Gatwick Airport from Zurich, Switzerland. The hijacking occurred as the plane, a BAe-146 aircraft, was preparing for descent into Gatwick. The hijacker, armed with a large pair of scissors, grabbed a flight attendant by the hair and placed the scissors blades to her throat. He apparently was distraught over having failed earlier to obtain political asylum in Britain. He claimed to have a bomb concealed in a "Walkman"-type cassette tape player and threatened to detonate it if not granted asylum. During the plane’s descent, the pilot left the cockpit, convinced the man to release the flight attendant, and calmed him. The plane made an emergency landing at Gatwick and proceeded to a remote area of the airport, where authorities arrested the hijacker. None of the flight’s 95 passengers or six crew members was injured.

Criminal Acts Against Civil Aviation 2000 / FAA, Office of Civil Aviation Security

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