WORLD : Bomb Threat Changes Plans for Northwest Passengers in Paris

At least 30 passengers booked on a Northwest Airlines flight to Detroit canceled their reservations today after learning of a threat to bomb the plane, airline officials said.

Frederic Wuatelet, sales manager at Northwest’s Paris office, said there was a steady stream of passengers calling or coming by after the report of a threat to Saturday’s Flight 51.

“Most of those who call are changing their flight,” Wuatelet said. Northwest is allowing passengers to change their bookings to another day or another airline without penalty.

Wuatelet said at least 30 had canceled their bookings on Flight 51 by midday today, but he could not say how many passengers were still booked on the flight.

Tarek El-Khazindar, 28, an Egyptian, and his Minneapolis-born wife, Brooke, 29, were in the Northwest offices in central Paris this afternoon to change their travel plans.

“I noticed when I was reading the paper at 8:30 this morning that it was our flight,” Brooke El-Khazindar said. “I don’t know if it’s a great idea or not, but we’re going to change.”

Her husband was not as convinced, saying the flight would probably be loaded with extra guards but agreed to switch to a Delta flight to Atlanta.