United Flight Diverts Midair After Passenger’s Bluetooth Device Triggers Security Sweep
A United Airlines flight bound for Spain from Newark Liberty International Airport was forced to turn around midflight Saturday after a passenger’s Bluetooth device, named a “certain four-letter word,” sparked a security response that grounded the plane for hours.
Flight 236 departed around 6 p.m. for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, but returned to Newark at 9:37 p.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The Boeing 767 carried 190 passengers and 12 crew members. The airline declined to specify the exact name of the device, but air traffic control audio from LiveATC.net captured an official saying security needed to “inspect the whole aircraft, including the cargo area” after being alerted to the device.
According to a passenger who posted on social media, crew members repeatedly asked everyone onboard to turn off Bluetooth devices, but two remained active. The flight crew then contacted United’s headquarters in Chicago, and the decision was made to return to Newark. Video posted online showed police and crew escorting passengers off the plane and onto a bus on the tarmac.
Once back at the gate, passengers were evacuated while Port Authority police swept the aircraft. Travelers were then re-screened by the TSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection before boarding a replacement flight with a fresh crew. That flight departed early Sunday morning and landed in Palma in the afternoon — more than 12 hours behind schedule.
In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said the crew reported a “passenger disturbance,” but did not disclose the Bluetooth connection. The FAA noted that airlines have logged more than 640 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2026, a figure that has drawn renewed attention to inflight behavior and the challenges of distinguishing between genuine threats and pranks.
The incident was the latest headache for United Airlines this month. On Friday, another United domestic flight was diverted due to an unruly passenger. Earlier in March, a United Boeing 767 landing at Newark struck a semitrailer truck and a light pole while traveling at 160 mph, though no injuries were reported. Safety experts say the rise in Bluetooth-related security scares highlights the need for clearer guidelines on electronic device naming and inflight conduct, as a simple prank can have cascading operational and financial consequences.