A Singaporean man's Instagram bomb joke delayed three Scoot flights from Changi Airport. He pleaded guilty, compensated S$1,946, and faces up to 7 years.
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Source: OT-Team(G), Malay Mail
Many people enjoy making jokes on social media, but some subjects are no laughing matter—especially when aviation security is involved.
A 20-year-old Singaporean man has pleaded guilty after posting a fake bomb-related message on Instagram that triggered a security response at Changi Airport and delayed three Scoot flights.
The incident took place on the night of June 7, 2025. The man, identified in court as Rykes Tan Zhi Kai, was serving his national service at the time and was preparing to board a Scoot flight from Singapore to Taipei.
While waiting at Changi Airport, Tan took a selfie with a Scoot Boeing Dreamliner and uploaded it to his Instagram Story. He captioned the image with the message: “Im [sic] about to bomb this plane,” which he later claimed was intended as a joke.
After posting the image, a friend contacted him through Instagram to ask about it. Tan responded with another message that read: “This is automated message. Tan Zhi Kai, Rykes have successfully bombed the plane and is unable to contact you from now onwards.” He later told investigators that the remark was meant as a joke implying that he had died.
Although the post was shared only with his Instagram followers—most of whom were friends and acquaintances—the situation quickly escalated. At about 1 a.m. on June 8, police received an anonymous report regarding the post.
Given the potential implications for aviation security, authorities immediately launched an investigation and ordered additional screening measures for Scoot Dreamliner flights scheduled to depart between 12:10 a.m. and 1:50 a.m.
As a result, three flights—TR138 to Tianjin, TR186 to Qingdao, and TR720 to Athens—underwent enhanced security checks. All three flights were delayed and were eventually cleared for departure at around 3 a.m.
The disruption affected hundreds of passengers and generated additional operational costs for the airline. Scoot later reported losses of approximately S$1,946 as a result of the incident.
Tan had already boarded Scoot flight TR876 to Taipei with three companions before police received the report. He returned to Singapore several days later and was arrested on June 11, 2025.
The case was heard in court on June 4, 2026, where Tan pleaded guilty to one charge of communicating false information about a harmful act.
Prosecutors argued that deterrence was necessary because Changi Airport is a critical piece of public infrastructure used daily by large numbers of local and international travelers. They emphasized that any statement involving bombs or threats to aircraft—even when intended as a joke and posted on a personal social media account—can trigger public alarm, extensive security operations, and the diversion of significant public resources.
Tan’s lawyer told the court that his client had cooperated with authorities, pleaded guilty at an early stage, and fully compensated Scoot for its losses. The defense also noted that Tan remains in national service and intends to retake his Singapore-Cambridge GCE Advanced Level examinations.
The judge ordered both a probation suitability report and a reformative training suitability report before sentencing. The case has been adjourned, with Tan expected to return to court at a later date for mitigation and sentencing.
Under Singapore law, the offence carries a maximum penalty of seven years’ imprisonment, a fine of up to S$50,000, or both.
The case serves as a reminder that comments involving bombs, aircraft, or other security threats are treated seriously by authorities, regardless of whether they are intended as jokes. In the highly regulated aviation sector, even a single social media post can result in flight disruptions, financial losses, and criminal prosecution.