WATCH: Arrested man now charged in alleged bomb threat at Kelowna airport

Charges have been laid against a man who allegedly threatened a WestJet flight leaving the Kelowna airport for Calgary Saturday.

Michael Joseph Howells, 35, who is from Alberta but has been living in Summerland is charged with five offences including uttering threats, endangering an aircraft by false information and mischief.

RCMP won’t reveal the nature of the telephone threat but passengers say they were told by the pilot it was a bomb threat.

Although police say there wasn’t any danger to the passengers on the incoming flight from Edmonton, about 100 people were held on the tarmac for about three hours while baggage was searched.

Steve Vadnas was among the frustrated passengers. “Three hours we sat there waiting for them to take us off that plane with no bathroom, no facilities, no nothing. I think they should have gotten us off the plane first and then dealt with the situation later.”

A Kelowna RCMP spokesperson says it’s unfortunate passengers were so inconvenienced. “They were isolated for the purpose of our investigation. Basically out of an abundance of caution. We needed to search the plane as well as their luggage. We thank them for their patience and understanding,” says Cst. Kris Clark.

Howells, who was arrested as the situation unfolded at the airport, appeared in court Monday and was released pending another court date in December.

The judge imposed 15 conditions under the terms of Howell’s release. Among them: He must not go within 100 metres of any airport in the province. He has to surrender his passport and firearms. And Howell is banned from using any type of public transit including planes and buses.