A United Airlines pilot told air traffic controllers that a flight attendant caught a passenger texting about hijacking their Las Vegas-to-New Jersey flight midair on Saturday.
United Flight 1681 had departed Harry Reid International Airport with 150 passengers and six crew members bound for Newark Liberty International Airport on Oct. 24 when the crew member spotted the alarming messages. The attendant did not confront the traveler directly and instead immediately notified the cockpit.
“The flight attendant saw him texting that he was going to hijack the aircraft. They called me. We went into lockdown, and we returned to Vegas,” the pilot told an air traffic controller shortly after the diversion, according to audio.
When the controller asked whether the passenger was cooperative or had been restrained, the pilot responded that the traveler showed “no restraint” because “he’s unaware.”
The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed the incident in a statement, saying that “United Airlines Flight 1681 returned safely to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas around 11:05 p.m. Local time on Saturday, Oct. 24, after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.”
After the aircraft landed back in Las Vegas, all passengers were removed from the plane. The aircraft then underwent a comprehensive inspection by authorities.
The displaced travelers were placed on an alternative flight that departed Harry Reid International Airport Sunday morning. The FAA noted that its investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
Authorities have not released the identity of the passenger involved in the disturbance. It remains unclear whether the individual was taken into custody or what charges, if any, were filed following the diversion.
The Oct. 24 incident marked a rare midair turnaround prompted by a perceived hijacking threat rather than a mechanical issue or medical emergency. Aviation security protocols typically call for crew members to avoid direct engagement with potentially threatening passengers and to alert the flight deck immediately, as occurred in this case.
The pilot’s calm relay of the situation to air traffic control, including the decision to place the cabin in lockdown, reflected standard emergency procedures for such scenarios. The crew’s handling of the discovery — observing the texts without alerting the passenger — allowed the flight to return without confrontation at altitude.
The FAA continues to investigate the incident.