Asia-Pacific

Obama monitoring Delta flight firecracker situation

(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-12-26 08:26
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KAILUA, Hawaii: US President Barack Obama, who is on vacation in Hawaii, was "actively monitoring" the situation with a Delta flight on which a man reportedly set off firecrackers, the White House said on Friday.

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A man reportedly set off firecrackers on Delta Flight 253 that was carrying 278 passengers to Detroit from Amsterdam.

"The president was notified of the incident this morning between 9:00 and 9:30 Hawaii time by the president's military aide," White House spokesman Bill Burton said in a statement.

Obama spoke by conference call with national security advisers and then he "instructed that all appropriate measures be taken to increase security for air travel," Burton said.

"The president is actively monitoring the situation and receiving regular updates. There is currently no change to his schedule," he said.