Police arrested a 25-year-old passenger after Flight 1681 turned back with 150 passengers and six crew members aboard.
LAS VEGAS — A United Airlines flight bound for Newark, New Jersey, returned to Las Vegas late Saturday after a reported security threat involving a passenger, prompting police to arrest a 25-year-old man after the plane landed safely.
Las Vegas Metropolitan Police identified the passenger Monday as Dante Milne. Police said officers responded to Harry Reid International Airport after receiving a report that a person aboard the flight had made terroristic threats. Milne was detained without incident after the aircraft returned and was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on an allegation of making a threat or providing false information concerning an act of terrorism. The allegation has not been proven in court.
United Flight 1681 departed Las Vegas on Oct. 24 for Newark Liberty International Airport with 150 passengers and six crew members aboard. United Airlines said the Boeing 737 returned to Las Vegas to address what the carrier called a “potential security concern.” Airport officials separately described the incident as a passenger disturbance. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew.
Accounts of what prompted the return emerged through reports citing air traffic control communications. According to those reports, a flight attendant saw a passenger sending a message that appeared to refer to hijacking the aircraft and alerted the pilots. The crew then secured the cockpit and arranged to return to Las Vegas. Authorities have not publicly released the message itself, and United has not independently detailed its contents.
Flight-tracking information cited by the Las Vegas Review-Journal showed that the aircraft departed Harry Reid International Airport at about 10:37 p.m. Saturday and had traveled beyond the Arizona border before turning back. It returned to Las Vegas later that night. The Federal Aviation Administration said the plane landed safely after the crew reported a passenger disturbance and that the agency would investigate the incident.
Police said officers were waiting when the aircraft returned and took Milne into custody without incident. Authorities have not alleged that the passenger gained access to the cockpit or took control of the aircraft. Publicly available accounts instead describe a threat reported by the crew that led the pilots to return as a precaution. Investigators had not released a detailed account Monday explaining the context of the alleged message or whether any additional evidence was recovered.
The unexpected return kept the flight from immediately continuing to New Jersey. United said the trip was delayed overnight because the crew reached its duty-time limit. The airline said Flight 1681 departed again for Newark on Sunday morning. Flight information cited by news organizations showed the passengers eventually reached Newark later Sunday, several hours after the originally scheduled arrival.
The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said Milne was booked on a count involving a threat or false information related to an act of terrorism. The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported that he later posted a surety bond and was scheduled for a court appearance Tuesday. No conviction has been entered, and authorities had not announced additional charges as of Monday.
The FBI says federal authorities investigate certain crimes committed aboard aircraft, including threats or intimidation involving flight crews and bomb threats. It was not immediately clear whether the FBI was participating in the investigation of Flight 1681. The FAA, however, confirmed that its investigation remained active.
United has not publicly disclosed additional details about the passenger disturbance beyond describing it as a potential security concern. Police likewise have not released the full contents or context of the alleged communication. The flight ultimately completed its trip to Newark, and no injuries were reported from the incident.
Author note: Last updated October 26, 2026.