United Airlines Flight Returns to Newark Due to Security Threat

A United Airlines flight en route to Spain from Newark Liberty International Airport made an unexpected return on Saturday night, prompted by a potential security threat. Scheduled to fly to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, the aircraft departed around 6 p.m. and landed back at Newark at 9:37 p.m., as reported by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

The Boeing 767 airplane carried 190 passengers and 12 crew members. Trouble arose when a Bluetooth device, named controversially by its owner, prompted security intervention. Significantly, air traffic control audio captured the situation in detail.

Under these circumstances, crew members repeatedly requested all passengers to deactivate Bluetooth devices. Despite these requests, two devices remained active. The decision to turn the flight around followed communication with the airline’s headquarters in Chicago.

Upon returning to Newark, passengers evacuated for thorough inspections conducted by Port Authority police. Subsequently, everyone faced rescreening from TSA and Customs and Border Patrol before reboarding a replacement flight. The airline opted not to disclose specific reasons behind the incident.

The replacement flight, staffed by a new crew, departed in the early hours of Sunday. It reached Palma later that afternoon.

This event marks the latest in a series of incidents involving United Airlines flights recently. Notably, a domestic flight diverted on Friday due to a security issue concerning an unruly traveler. Earlier in the month, another United flight landing in Newark encountered complications involving a semitrailer truck and light pole, fortunately without injuries.