World · October 26, 2026
United flight turned around after report of passenger making a terroristic threat
A United Airlines flight traveling from Las Vegas to Newark on a Saturday night was forced to return to Harry Reid International Airport shortly after takeoff following reports of a passenger making a terroristic threat. According to a criminal complaint, a 25-year-old passenger allegedly sent a message stating he intended to "hijack" the aircraft and mentioned crashing it. The aircraft, carrying 150 passengers, landed safely and was met by Las Vegas police who took the suspect into custody. United Airlines confirmed the flight was delayed overnight and eventually reached Newark on Sunday morning. The Federal Aviation Administration is investigating the incident.
Read the original coverage
- Washington TimesMBFC: Right-Center
United flight turned around after report of passenger making a terroristic threat
Read at Washington Times ↗ - Associated PressAllSides: Lean LeftMBFC: Left-Center
'Crash ur row only': United flight turned around after passenger allegedly said he'd 'hijack' plane
Read at Associated Press ↗ - HuffPostMBFC: Left
United Flight Turned Around After Passenger Allegedly Said He
Read at HuffPost ↗
Reported across the spectrum
- A United Airlines flight headed to Newark was diverted back to Las Vegas shortly after takeoff.
- The incident occurred on a Saturday night.
- A passenger was arrested in connection with making a terroristic threat.
- United Airlines addressed the incident as a 'potential security concern'.
- The flight eventually departed for Newark on Sunday morning.
Reported by only some outlets
- HuffPost reports the suspect is 25 years old and specifically threatened to "crash ur row only".
- HuffPost and Associated Press mention the suspect faces 1 to 20 years in prison if convicted.
- HuffPost specifies there were 150 passengers on board.
- HuffPost notes the flight returned to the airport less than an hour after departing according to flight data.
Left-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
Focuses on the specific and vulgar nature of the suspect's alleged messages while highlighting the potential 20-year prison sentence.
Right-leaning outlets tend to emphasize…
Maintains a high-level summary of the police report, characterizing the incident primarily as a 'terroristic threat' without detailing the suspect's specific messages.
Centrist outlets tend to focus on…
Concentrates on the basic legal charges and the specific phrasing used in the alleged threat while omitting broader commentary.
Where coverage diverges
Coverage diverges along left/right lines — see Framing tab for specifics.
About these outlets
CadNews does not determine absolute truth or endorse political viewpoints. It compares publicly available reporting, identifies shared facts, highlights framing differences, and flags uncertainty.