United Airlines Crew Goes Into Lockdown, Diverts Flight After Traveller Sent Texts About a Hijack

United Airlines Flight 1681 returned to Las Vegas on Saturday, 24 October, after a flight attendant reportedly saw a passenger texting about hijacking the aircraft. The incident prompted a security response and an overnight delay for 150 passengers travelling to Newark, New Jersey.

The Boeing 737 had departed Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas for Newark Liberty International Airport. Six crew members were also aboard, according to reporting on the incident.

The suspected threat emerged after a flight attendant reportedly noticed messages on a passenger's phone. The crew alerted the pilot, who decided to return to Las Vegas rather than continue the journey.

The account of the messages comes from cockpit audio obtained by CBS News. The recording captures the pilot explaining the situation to an air traffic controller.

'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 said.

What the FAA Said About the United Airlines Flight

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) confirmed that Flight 1681 returned safely to Harry Reid International Airport after the crew reported a passenger disturbance. In its statement, the agency said the aircraft was back in Las Vegas at around 11.05 p.m. local time.

The FAA said it would investigate the incident but did not publicly identify the passenger or confirm a hijacking attempt. United Airlines described the return as a response to a potential security concern, according to its statement reported by local media.

There is a discrepancy in the reported arrival times. FlightAware data cited by The Independent put the departure at 10.37 p.m. and the return at 11.42 p.m. The FAA's published statement gives an earlier return time of approximately 11.05 p.m. Neither account, as presented, explains the difference.

No injuries were reported. Passengers were taken off the aircraft after it returned safely, although the precise details of any subsequent individual security checks have not been established in the available reporting.

The distinction between the official account and the reported cockpit audio is important. The FAA confirmed a passenger disturbance, while the pilot's recorded comments provide the reported explanation for the crew's decision.

What Happened to Passengers After the Diversion?

The incident disrupted travel plans for passengers who had expected to reach New Jersey after an overnight flight. Instead, they had to wait in Las Vegas until the following morning.

United said the flight was delayed overnight because of crew timeout. This refers to limits on how long flight crew members may work, meaning the original crew could not simply resume the journey after the disruption.

The replacement service departed Las Vegas at around 7 a.m. on Sunday, 25 October, and reached Newark that afternoon, according to flight information cited by The Independent. The delay meant passengers arrived several hours later than planned.

The passenger's identity and the circumstances surrounding the reported messages remain unclear. Publicly available information cited in the reporting does not establish who received the messages, their complete wording or whether the passenger was detained or questioned after landing.

The FAA's investigation may provide further information, but its published statement does not offer a timetable for updates. United has not publicly detailed the full sequence of events inside the cabin in the statements cited here.

For now, the confirmed outcome is that Flight 1681 returned safely to Las Vegas, no injuries were reported, and passengers continued their journey the next day. The reported text messages prompted the response, but their full context and the passenger's intentions remain unverified.