A United Airlines flight from Newark Liberty International Airport bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, turned around mid-flight on Saturday due to a possible security threat related to a Bluetooth device name [1, 2, 3].
The Boeing 767 carrying 190 passengers and 12 crew departed around 6 p.m. local time and returned to Newark at 9:37 p.m. [1, 2]. Passengers were repeatedly asked by crew members to turn off all Bluetooth devices, but two remained active. One discoverable device's name contained a "certain four-letter word," prompting the security alert. [1, 2, 3]
After communicating with the airline's Chicago headquarters, the pilot decided to turn back to Newark where passengers were evacuated for a full security sweep, including searches of the cargo areas. [1, 2, 3] A Reddit passenger commented, "This little joke is ruining it for everyone," referencing the disruptive device name. [3]
Following the inspection, passengers were rescreened by TSA and Customs and Border Protection before boarding a replacement flight early Sunday morning. The new flight later arrived safely in Palma de Mallorca. [1]
The airline declined to specify the exact cause of the security incident beyond confirming the Bluetooth device's role. [1] This is at least the third major incident involving United Airlines flights in recent weeks. [1]
The flight's return and subsequent security procedures delayed travel but ensured no threat was present before departure to Spain later Sunday.
