A 25-year-old airline passenger was arrested after a flight attendant spotted text messages about hijacking a Newark-bound United Airlines jet, forcing the flight to turn back to Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas shortly after takeoff on October 24.
The red-eye flight, United Airlines Flight 1681, had climbed to 24,000 feet just 13 minutes after departing Las Vegas when the midair security scare unfolded, according to air traffic control audio and flight tracking data. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 turned around over the Arizona desert after a cabin crew member observed the alarming messages on a passenger’s mobile phone and immediately notified the captain, prompting a full cockpit lockdown.
Text Messages Observed by Cabin Crew Prompted Immediate Cockpit Lockdown
Investigators stated that Dante Milne was sitting in seat 10C while another passenger occupied seat 37D. According to the criminal complaint, the passenger in 37D received a text message from Milne that read, I’m gonna hijack this b—- and crash ur row only,
as detailed in police records.
A flight attendant noticed the incoming text on the screen and alerted the lead crew member. Per airline operating procedures, the crew waited until the aircraft passed 10,000 feet before briefing the pilot. The captain subsequently secured the flight deck, while flight attendants maintained a calm cabin without confronting the suspect directly, ensuring that passengers remained unaware of the emergency unfolding around them. The aircraft squawked 7700 to signal a general emergency.
The flight attendant saw him texting that he was going to hijack the aircraft and called me and we went lockdown. … No restraint, passenger is compliant because he’s unaware.
Pilot of United Flight 1681, via air traffic control recordings
Overweight Landing and Fuel Burn Forced Extended Approach at Harry Reid Airport
Because the Boeing 737 MAX 8 was fully fueled for a transcontinental flight to Newark Liberty International Airport, the aircraft was grossly overweight for an immediate landing. The flight crew had to fly a longer-than-standard route, executing a U-turn over the Arizona ghost town of Oak Grove before taking a number of turns to burn off excess fuel, requesting clearance to use the full length of the runway to ensure safety.
The aircraft ultimately touched down safely back at Harry Reid International Airport at 11:42 p.m. local time, about 50 minutes after its initial departure, with no injuries reported among the 150 passengers and six crew members on board.
Felony Charges Filed in Las Vegas Justice Court Amid Parallel Federal Investigation
Milne was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on charges of making a threat or providing false information regarding an act of terrorism. The offense is classified as a category B felony under Nevada law, carrying a potential prison sentence of one to 20 years and a fine of up to $5,000.
During his initial appearance before a magistrate at the Regional Justice Center in Las Vegas Justice Court on Tuesday, October 27, Milne’s defense attorney indicated plans to enter a not guilty plea. Milne explained to detectives that he had made the trip to Las Vegas to attend a three-day work apprenticeship as an underwater welder, drank beer and several shots at a bar inside the terminal before getting on the plane, planned on sleeping throughout the journey, and only woke up when he was told the plane was heading back to Las Vegas. He claimed he had no recollection of the messages and described the wording as poorly phrased banter between coworkers,
according to statements cited by the Associated Press.
Following the incident, Milne was released after posting a $10,000 bond (noted elsewhere in reporting as a $20,000 bail), pending a preliminary hearing and an upcoming court appearance scheduled for January 5. Meanwhile, the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed it has launched a parallel investigation into the security breach.
United Airlines issued a joint statement with Fox News Digital confirming that the flight safely returned to address a potential security concern. Because the flight crew exceeded their legal duty time limits, the diversion caused an overnight delay, with a substitute aircraft finally taking off for Newark Liberty International Airport on Sunday morning.