United Flight 236 Declares Emergency and Returns to Newark Over 2 Active Bluetooth Devices
Updated
Updated · Boing Boing · May 30
United Flight 236 Declares Emergency and Returns to Newark Over 2 Active Bluetooth Devices
4 articles · Updated · Boing Boing · May 30
Flight 236 to Palma de Mallorca turned back about an hour after departure, declared a general emergency and landed safely in Newark before passengers deboarded.
Two active Bluetooth devices were cited in repeated cabin announcements, according to passenger posts, with crew warning the plane would return unless all Bluetooth connections were shut off.
United told passengers only that an urgent customer situation on board had to be addressed; one traveler said agents were set to meet the aircraft to identify the device involved.
Passengers described emergency lights, stairs brought to the tarmac instead of a gate, orders to leave devices and belongings on board, and a $15 meal credit after landing.
Bluetooth is a low-power, short-range standard, and while crews can order electronics off for safety, no clear precedent was immediately known for a Bluetooth-related security response.
Could your personal device actually threaten an aircraft, or did a digital prank just expose a major gap in aviation security?
When a Bluetooth device named 'BOMB' grounds a jet, is it a sign of robust safety or a critically flawed system?