Richmond airport reopens after receiving threat

The Richmond International Airport in Virginia reopened Tuesday after a brief evacuation after the airport received a threatening phone call.

Few details were immediately reported, but the threat was called in between 6 a.m. and 6:15, and considered serious enough to warrant the evacuation, Troy Bell, the airport official, said.

Katie Schexnayder, 24, of Richmond arrived at the airport Tuesday morning to catch an 8 a.m. flight to Nashville, Tenn., only to be told shortly thereafter that the terminal had been evacuated because of a bomb threat. She said passengers were evacuated around 6:30 a.m.

At least 200 passengers were still waiting outside, roughly a quarter-mile from the terminal, as of 8 a.m. Tuesday, Schexnayder told The Associated Press in a phone interview from the airport.

"Not far away enough I don't think, but that's just me," she said.

She said the mood was calm and that officials were friendly and willing to answer questions. Passengers who did not want to wait were being allowed to leave, she said.

"They're nice enough, just telling us they're clearing this, clearing that," Schexnayder said when asked how airport officials were handling the situation. "They've been good and keeping us informed enough."

Schexnayder said she hadn't seen any flights leaving or arriving since the terminal was evacuated.

The Associated Press contributed to this report