Plane Turned Around Over the Atlantic Due to Bluetooth Device Name
A United Airlines Boeing 767-400ER flight to Palma de Mallorca (Spain) made a turnaround over the Atlantic Ocean after the Bluetooth network name of one of the passengers caused a security alert, writes Simpleflying.
According to preliminary data, a teenager on board named their device "BOMB." The detected name quickly escalated into a response to a potential bomb threat.
The crew repeatedly warned passengers, then gave everyone one minute to turn off their Bluetooth devices, warning that otherwise the plane would be forced to return.
It was reported that after this time expired, at least two Bluetooth devices remained active on board. After that, the crew declared an emergency and decided to return to Newark.
According to flight tracking services, United flight 236 from Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) to Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) took off at 6:08 PM (local time) and had been in the air for about an hour when the situation escalated.
One passenger shared on Reddit that a flight attendant announced via the public address system the need to immediately turn off Bluetooth, otherwise the plane would have to return. This warning was repeated several times, followed by a final one-minute warning from the crew.
However, not all passengers complied. After the allotted time, two active Bluetooth devices remained on board.
Subsequently, the crew transmitted code 7700 — the international general emergency signal — and turned the plane around. The aircraft returned to Newark at 8:50 PM, spending nearly three hours in the air.
According to conversation recordings released by LiveATC.net, a United ground service representative reported that the Bluetooth device had a "four-letter" name, which was later identified by AirLive as "BOMB."
Passengers were also informed that up to ten agents would be waiting on the plane after landing to identify the source of the potential threat.
Additionally, people on board were instructed to leave all personal belongings on the plane before disembarking.
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