A Delta Air Lines flight from Boston to Newark, New Jersey, had to turn back to Massachusetts on Sunday night after an anonymous caller reported that a passenger on board had allegedly made threats related to the safety of the flight, according to authorities.
The flight, operated by Republic Airways on behalf of Delta, returned to Boston Logan International Airport shortly after taking off, where Massachusetts State Police escorted a man off the plane and searched his carry-on bags with bomb squad members and explosive-sniffing dogs. No hazards were found and the man had no checked luggage, police said.
The flight resumed its journey to Newark after the passenger was removed and his bags were cleared. No charges have been sought at this time, but the investigation is ongoing, police said.
The Federal Aviation Administration said the flight crew reported a possible security issue and that the flight returned safely to Boston. A spokesperson for Republic Airways apologized to the affected passengers and said the flight went back to Boston to facilitate the removal of a passenger.
The incident comes amid a surge of unruly passenger behavior on flights, which has prompted the FAA to adopt a zero-tolerance policy and impose hefty fines on offenders. The FAA said it received 2,455 reports of unruly passengers in 2023, down from 5,973 in 2021.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, insider.com
