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Passengers traveling from Newark Liberty Airport (EWR) in New Jersey to Palma de Mallorca Airport (PMI) in Spain faced an unusual delay when their plane had to turn around due to a Bluetooth device with an unfortunate name. The May 30 United Airlines flight left EWR around 6PM with 190 passengers and 12 crew, but landed back at Newark at 9:37PM.
United Airlines addressed the incident, telling NPR that the flight returned to “address a potential security concern” without providing more details. However, air traffic control audio and social media posts from those on the plane have revealed that the incident was caused by a Bluetooth device named a “certain four-letter word” that no one wants to hear anywhere near an aircraft or airport: Bomb.
Ultimately, it seems the device was a Bluetooth speaker named Bomb that, while harmless, raised some understandable red flags for the flight crew. While United has not offered any details, social media posts from those who say they were on the plane help piece together the situation. One Reddit comment from someone whose wife was on the flight reported that a 16-year-old confessed to naming the speaker, and another says the device was stored in cargo, hence why the owner couldn’t turn it off when instructed.
The United Airlines flight was ruined by a little joke
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Upon landing at Newark, passengers were deplaned and told to take only their phones and passports, after which they were reportedly put on buses. Port Authority police inspected the aircraft, including the cargo hold, and passengers were eventually rescreened by TSA and Customs and Border Patrol before boarding a replacement flight.
Perhaps the most interesting part of the United Airlines Bluetooth flight is how passengers in the air and those watching the situation unfold on social media were able to piece things together despite a lack of details from the airline. According to one Reddit user who was on the flight, passengers were repeatedly told to turn off all Bluetooth devices or else the plane would be turned around. After that decision was made, the crew announced someone had “done something with Bluetooth that is threatening to the safety of the flight.” The user also reported hearing comments like “this little joke is ruining it for everyone,” which they found “odd” at the time, but makes perfect sense with context.
It was Reddit users on the live flight tracking site Flightradar24 and listening to a live feed of air traffic control audio who overheard the “four-letter word” comment and helped clarify the situation for the people on the plane. The lesson here is pretty obvious: Don’t name your Bluetooth device anything that could be interpreted as a threat. Additionally, make sure you know what electronics you’re not allowed to pack in carry-on luggage, and turn on your phone’s airplane mode. If you’re flying United Airlines, bring your headphones as the airline now requires them to listen to any audio or video content.
