United Airlines passenger spotted text messaging about hijacking plane

A United Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Newark returned to Harry Reid International Airport after a crew member observed a passenger sending text messages indicating an intent to hijack the aircraft, according to Simple Flying citing ATC recordings.

The flight, operated by a Boeing 737 MAX 8, reportedly entered a general emergency (squawk 7700) and diverted back to the origin airport when the threat was reported by a flight attendant, with the cockpit subsequently going into lockdown.

To manage fuel, the crew burned off excess fuel and prepared for an overweight landing, since the aircraft does not have a fuel-dump capability and had been filled for the longer Newark run. The pilot also advised ATC that the full runway length might be required for landing.

The aircraft touched down safely at Harry Reid International Airport with no injuries reported among the 150 passengers and six crew members, and the incident prompted an FAA investigation. United indicated the flight departed for Newark again the following day after addressing the potential security concern.

Details on why the passenger sent the messages or the exact handling by law enforcement beyond the initial response were not provided in the available material. The report notes the incident follows other recent security-related events in the region and mentions related regulatory tightening on foreign crew background checks.