Video shows the moment a man was escorted off a Hawaiian Airlines plane by SWAT police after a member of the military allegedly made a false bomb threat.

The plane was departing for Honolulu, Hawaii, when it was diverted off the tarmac and grounded at San Diego International Airport yesterday (20).

Video footage shows Port of San Diego Harbor Police boarding the plane and cuffing a passenger before removing him from the flight.

The police then looked at the passenger next to him, and asked if he was travelling with the man, before removing him too.

An airline spokesperson said it came after "a guest was overheard making a threat to the safety of our aircraft"."

A passenger on the plane - who does not want to be named - said that around 25 to 30 passengers were kept on the plane and questioned by the FBI.

Port of San Diego Harbor Police said military member, John Stea, 35, was arrested and charged with making a false bomb threat.

A passenger said: "I see the Port of San Diego Harbor Police and the sheriffs walking down the aisle. "

"I am in row 38 and it looks like they are stopping around row 40. "

"They opened an overhead bin and looked in it, and the police asked whose plastic box it was. "

"A guy said it was his and they asked him to stand up, handcuffed him and escorted him off the plane. "

"His friend said 'I'll stay here mate.'"

"The police then asked if the guy was traveling with the suspect, and when he said 'yes' they asked him to get off the plane. "

"They asked everyone to get off the plane but leave their luggage. They asked the three rows near the guy 'please hang out with us'."

"We were interviewed by the FBI to see if we interacted with the suspect. "

"They took pictures of our driver's licenses, if they need to talk to us again. "

"We can see all the checked luggage being taken off the plane. "

"Multiple bomb sniffing dogs are on the place sniffing, and they are also sniffing the checked luggage."

In a statement, a Hawaiian Airlines spokesperson said: "During pushback from the gate, a guest was overheard making a threat to the safety of our aircraft."

"As a precaution, the captain immediately taxied the Airbus A330 to a safe location on the airfield, where it was met with local and federal law enforcement, and guests were safely deplaned."

The Port of San Diego Habor Police said: "At approximately 8:45 a.m., the Port of San Diego Harbor Police Maritime Tactical Team (MARTAC, also known as SWAT), K-9 Team, and Joint Terrorism Task Force, along with the San Diego Fire Department and multiple federal agencies, responded to the scene to search the aircraft and its contents. "

"The plane captain had taxied to a safe location on the airfield. "

"All 293 people onboard were deplaned and transported by bus to a safe area. K-9s cleared the aircraft including all carry-on and checked luggage. "

"There is no threat to the public or travelers, and operations at San Diego International Airport are normal. "

"Harbor Police reminds the public that maliciously reporting a false bomb threat is against the law and can result in fines and up to one year incarceration in county jail or state prison if convicted."

Passengers were boarded onto a shuttle bus and taken to a private hangar at the San Diego International airport for a few hours before the flight departed for Hawaii at 2pm PST.