A United Airlines flight on an international eight-hour journey to Spain was forced to make a U-turn after what the airline described as a “potential security concern.”
Some social media users who claimed to be on board took to TikTok, alleging that a passenger had named a Bluetooth device “Bomb” and that the pilots decided not to take any chances. The flight departed from Newark Liberty International Airport en route to Palma de Mallorca, Spain. Around four and a half hours into the journey, the aircraft turned back. According to NPR, air traffic control audio provided some insight into what the flight crew was dealing with after landing back in Newark.
Once the plane returned to the taxiway, a voice from the aircraft reportedly said, “There’s a security detail out there, someone had a Bluetooth speaker and they named it a certain four-letter word.” Another voice added, “So they have to inspect the whole aircraft including the cargo area [and] passengers have to evacuate.”
As the situation was being handled by authorities, self-identified passengers took to TikTok to share their own accounts of the incident. One user, who was seemingly still in the middle of the ordeal, posted a photo of the aircraft aisle and described the experience as a “fever dream.”
According to the TikTok user, the potential bomb threat was triggered after someone discovered a Bluetooth device on the network with the name “Bomb.” Moreover, despite passengers reportedly being instructed to turn off their Bluetooth connections, the “Bomb” device allegedly remained visible.
The network name was reportedly noticed shortly after takeoff while the flight was en route to Spain. One passenger alerted the crew, and after deliberating, the flight attendants asked everyone to disable their Bluetooth devices. When the “Bomb” connection allegedly remained active, the pilot decided to return to Newark.
The FAA and FBI were waiting on the ground to investigate. Some commenters on TikTok questioned why the flight did not make an emergency landing at a closer airport. One user wrote, “I’m confused why they wouldn’t make an emergency landing at the most available airport to ensure the safety of everyone rather than turn the flight back around for another 2 hour return back to Newark. If someone in the airline industry knows an answer lmk pls.”
Later reports from other passengers suggested that the device in question was a Bluetooth speaker belonging to a teenager. There has been no public explanation as to why the device was not immediately turned off, but from the crew’s perspective, it appears they chose to err on the side of caution.
The flight eventually reboarded and continued on to Mallorca, arriving approximately nine and a half hours behind schedule. The United Airlines flight ultimately landed in Palma de Mallorca at 3:47 p.m. local time on Sunday.
Published: Jun 3, 2026 01:35 pm