United Flight 1681 touched down back at Harry Reid International Airport on Saturday night, October 24, abandoning its Newark Liberty International Airport itinerary. The Boeing 737, which carried 150 passengers and six crew members, returned after the flight deck secured the cockpit following a security alert. The pilot informed air traffic control that a flight attendant had witnessed a passenger messaging an intent to hijack the aircraft. No injuries were reported, and law enforcement officers met the plane upon its return.
The passenger reportedly had no idea the crew had seen the message. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department and the Federal Aviation Administration are now handling the case. The FAA confirmed the flight returned safely and stated it would fully investigate the incident. Las Vegas airport officials directed media inquiries to United Airlines and local police, offering no further public comment on the specifics of the threat.
The diversion upended plans for everyone on board. Passengers were stranded in Las Vegas overnight because the original crew had hit the legal limit for working hours. United Airlines did not release the identity of the passenger or details of the police encounter. A replacement aircraft finally departed for Newark on Sunday morning, October 25, arriving more than eight hours behind schedule.