United Airlines 767 returns to Newark after Bluetooth name sparks alert

United Airlines Bluetooth Threat Incident

According to flight tracking data, United Flight 236 from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Palma De Mallorca Airport (PMI) departed Newark at 6:08 PM local time, and was approximately 60 minutes into its transatlantic journey before the security situation escalated. A passenger on the flight provided more details on Reddit, stating that a flight attendant told passengers over the PA system that they "must turn off Bluetooth immediately," or else the aircraft would have to turn around.

This was repeated multiple times, with the crew eventually issuing a final one-minute warning. However, not all passengers complied with the instructions, as there were still two active Bluetooth devices after the ultimatum was issued. The aircraft subsequently squawked 7700 (the code for a general emergency) and turned around, landing back in EWR at 8:50 PM after spending almost three hours in the air. Simple Flying contacted United for comment on this incident, but a representative could not be reached before publication.

Bluetooth Speaker Name Set To 'BOMB'

As per recordings from LiveATC.net, a member of United's ground team said that the Bluetooth speaker name had been set to a "four-letter word," later reported by AirLive as 'BOMB.' Passengers on the flight were reportedly told that up to ten "agents" would be waiting for the aircraft in Newark to determine the origin of the threat.

Those onboard were also instructed to leave all their belongings on the aircraft before deplaning. Saturday's incident has parallels with another security scare that occurred on a United flight earlier this month. During this incident, a Wi-Fi hotspot named "Free Palestine, F Zionists" prompted the pilot to issue a warning to the cabin, telling the passenger responsible that they had "30 seconds" to remove the name or the FBI would meet the aircraft.

Additionally, in April, two United flights were evacuated on back-to-back days due to bomb threats, demonstrating how seriously these incidents are taken. Though some have questioned why anyone intending to blow up a plane would broadcast the word bomb, many terrorist acts have relied on the threat of a bomb as leverage during attempted hijackings or hostage situations.

Passengers Board Replacement Flight

Passengers on the flight arrived back in Newark just before 9:00 PM on Saturday evening, and were met by a significant contingent of local and federal law enforcement. They were asked to take only their passports and phones with them, leaving their cabin bags on the aircraft. After spending several hours on the ground as security teams completed their sweep, travelers would eventually depart Newark on a replacement flight in the early hours.

The replacement flight was operated by the same aircraft, a Boeing 767-400ER (registration N67052), but would not take off until around 02:30 AM the next day. At the time of publication, the flight is currently over the Atlantic and is expected to land in Palma de Mallorca in the afternoon local time. Before passengers could board this flight, they were required to pass through TSA security for a second time.