PARIS, Jan. 16 (Xinhua) -- A senior French air passenger was arrested Saturday in Abu Dhahi due to one sensitive letter "bomb" he joked on board, his brother Michel Lioret told French media. French Foreign Ministry confirmed the case later.

    Jean-Louis Lioret, 66, ruined his journey on an Etihad airliner from Paris to Bangkok when the plane was about to leave the stopover Abu Dhaihi.

    As he was helping a neighbor to keep a packet on an empty seat besides he, Lioret blurted out "I hope it's not a bomb." The joke was overheard by the stew and triggered security alert at once.

    Immediately, he was taken off the plane and finally put into Abu Dhahi central prison. Michel Lioret said what the packet contained was only some cigarettes.

    French Foreign Ministry confirmed the arrest and said it would contact with the authority of Abu Dhahi on the case.

    Major international airlines have enhanced their security measures since the failed Christmas bomb attempt that took place on a plane heading for Detroit, the United States.