Theguardian United Airlines Flight Returns Due to Bluetooth Device Name Security Threat
Article Content
- •A United Airlines flight returned to Newark after a Bluetooth device name prompted a security alert.
- •The device's name reportedly included the word 'BOMB', leading to urgent crew actions.
- •Passengers were evacuated and rescreened before boarding a replacement flight.
On May 31, 2026, a United Airlines flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca was forced to return midair due to a potential security threat. The incident arose when a passenger's Bluetooth device was identified with a name that included a threatening four-letter word, later reported to be 'BOMB'. The flight, carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, departed at 6 p.m. and returned to Newark at 9:37 p.m. after crew members communicated with the airline's operations center. Passengers were evacuated and rescreened by TSA and Customs before boarding a replacement flight. This incident is part of a series of recent security-related events involving United Airlines flights, including another diversion due to an unruly passenger. The airline declined to provide specific details about the incident.
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