The flight departed around 6 p.m. for Palma de Mallorca, Spain, but landed back at Newark at 9:37 p.m., according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey. The airline said there were 190 passengers and 12 crew members on board the Boeing 767 aircraft.

According to air traffic control audio, security came to inspect the aircraft after someone named their Bluetooth device a “certain four-letter word.” A passenger posting on social media said crew members repeatedly asked passengers to turn off all Bluetooth devices, but two devices remained on. The flight turned around after communicating with the airline’s headquarters in Chicago.

Passengers had to evacuate as the aircraft was swept by Port Authority police, and passengers were rescreened by TSA and Customs and Border Patrol before reboarding. The airline declined to provide specifics on the cause of the incident.

Passengers boarded a replacement flight with a new crew, which took off early Sunday morning and landed in Palma in the afternoon.

This was the latest incident with a United Airlines flight this month. On Friday, a domestic flight was diverted because of a security concern with an unruly passenger. Earlier this month, a United flight landing at Newark airport struck a semitrailer truck and a light pole, though no one was injured.

Credits: United Airlines

The post A United Airlines flight to Spain turns back to Newark after a possible security threat midair first appeared on AircrewNews.com.

The limits were introduced after radar and communication outages earlier this year caused thousands of cancellations. United Airlines, Newark’s largest carrier, supports the measures, calling them essential for long-term stability.

The FAA says staffing and technology upgrades are progressing, including a new fibre optic communications network and increased numbers of air traffic controllers, with more personnel still in training.

Credits: United

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The post FAA extends Newark flight limits to ease delays and boost safety first appeared on AircrewNews.com.