If the situation warrants a diversion it also warrants a rapid de-plane after landing and if no facility is provided for that, an evacuation down the slides. Stuff what the police or ATC are telling you, get them, and yourself, off the aircraft ASAP.
There can be no half measures with this sort of thing, you either assume there is no threat (duty free bag left in the locker after a flight) or you assume there is a threat in which case you treat it as a real bomb until you know different. Heads need to roll for keeping them onboard, what a complete screw up. As it turned out there was no harm done but it could have been one of biggest cock-ups in aviation history, a successful diversion and landing followed by an explosion 30 minutes later killing all the passengers and crew because they were still sitting on the aircraft. Makes my blood run cold to be honest.
Last edited by Max Angle; 14th Apr 2006 at 14:56.