A United Airlines flight heading to Los Angeles from Hawaii had to make a detour on Tuesday due to a “potential security concern” discovered in the plane bathroom. The flight, United Airlines 1169, took off from Daniel K. Inouye International Airport in Honolulu around 9:40 p.m. Hawaii Standard Time. However, about an hour and a half into the journey, the plane had to turn back to Honolulu airport, as per flight tracking data from FlightAware.
After landing, police conducted a search of the Boeing 777 aircraft, which was carrying around 339 passengers and 10 crew members, but the airline spokesperson did not disclose any details about what they found, if anything. The Federal Aviation Administration did not provide any comments on the matter either. One traveler mentioned to Hawaii News Now that passengers had to wait on the tarmac for about four hours while law enforcement officers and dogs screened each individual. The passenger, Kouhei Massey, shared that they were informed by the airport security manager that someone had left a message on the bathroom mirror indicating a bomb threat on the plane.
A United Airlines representative informed The Times that affected customers would be accommodated on another flight bound for Los Angeles later that evening. The airline’s priority is to ensure the safety and well-being of all passengers and crew members. It’s not really clear why this incident occurred or what exactly was found on the plane, but it’s definitely a concerning situation that raises questions about security measures in place.
