A United Airlines flight bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, had to make an unscheduled return to Newark Liberty International Airport due to a potential security issue reported during the flight. The Boeing 767, carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew members, took off from Newark on Saturday evening but reversed course several hours into its journey.
Upon landing back in Newark, the aircraft was met by law enforcement and security teams who conducted a thorough inspection as a safety measure. The incident was reportedly linked to a Bluetooth device detected on board, prompting flight crew to repeatedly request passengers to disable any Bluetooth-enabled gadgets while the airline evaluated the situation.
After safely arriving in Newark, passengers disembarked and underwent a re-screening process as authorities conducted a comprehensive security sweep of the airplane. Following these procedures, passengers were cleared to embark on another aircraft to continue their journey.
United Airlines has not disclosed specific details regarding the security concern but confirmed that arrangements for a replacement aircraft and crew were made. The newly assigned flight departed early Sunday morning, successfully reaching Palma de Mallorca later that day.
This incident is part of a series of operational and security-related occurrences involving United Airlines flights in recent weeks, showcasing the airline’s commitment to taking precautionary measures whenever potential safety threats are identified.