A United Airlines Boeing 767 carrying nearly 200 passengers turned back to Newark on Saturday evening after a Bluetooth-enabled device with an offensive name sparked a security alert over the Atlantic.
The flight departed for Palma de Mallorca at approximately 6 p.m. but landed back at Newark Liberty International Airport at 9:37 p.m. after the crew discovered two active Bluetooth devices that would not turn off, according to air traffic control communications. One had been given a name containing what officials characterized as a certain four-letter word.
United reported 190 passengers and 12 crew members aboard the aircraft. After landing, port authority police evacuated everyone while conducting a security sweep. Transportation Security Administration and Customs and Border Protection officers re-screened all passengers before allowing them back on a replacement aircraft with a fresh crew.
The new plane took off early Sunday morning and successfully completed the transatlantic journey, landing in Palma that afternoon. United declined to elaborate on the exact nature of the security concern.
The incident marked another turbulent stretch for the carrier. The previous day, a United flight traveling from Chicago to Minneapolis was diverted to Madison, Wisconsin, after a passenger allegedly attempted to access the cockpit. That incident came just three weeks after a United aircraft landing at Newark struck a light pole and a delivery truck on May 3, injuring the truck driver slightly.
The back-to-back disruptions underscore ongoing challenges airlines face managing both equipment failures and passenger behavior as domestic and international travel volumes remain elevated. The Bluetooth device episode illustrates how routine technology issues can trigger full emergency protocols when they occur during flight, particularly given heightened security sensitivities around cockpit access and aircraft operations.
Author James Rodriguez: "A device name shouldn't ground a transatlantic flight, but in today's security environment, better safe than explaining a real threat missed."
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