A United Airlines flight bound from Newark Liberty International Airport to Palma de Mallorca, Spain, was forced to make a dramatic mid-Atlantic U-turn on Saturday evening after a security scare triggered by a passenger’s Bluetooth device name. Approximately one hour into the transatlantic journey, the crew of Flight UA236 broadcast an urgent message over the PA system, ordering all passengers to immediately deactivate their Bluetooth connections. Acting on directives from United's Chicago headquarters, the flight attendants issued multiple warnings—culminating in a final one-minute ultimatum—stating that the plane would be forced to return to New Jersey if any devices remained active.

The security threat stemmed from a 16-year-old passenger who had altered the discoverable name of their Bluetooth device (later identified as a Fitbit) to the word "BOMB." Air traffic control audio later confirmed that ground teams were alerted to a "certain four-letter word" broadcast from the aircraft. Because at least two Bluetooth signals remained active after the crew's final deadline passed, the pilots declared a general emergency, initiated a sharp turn back over the ocean, and landed back at Newark around 9:37 p.m. after spending nearly three hours in the air.

Upon landing, the Boeing 767-400ER was met on the tarmac by a heavy presence of local and federal law enforcement agents. The 190 passengers and 12 crew members were evacuated from the aircraft, instructed to leave all carry-on baggage behind and bring only their passports and phones. Law enforcement took the teenage passenger into custody, and a thorough sweep of the plane and luggage confirmed there was no explosive threat. Following a full rescreening by TSA and Customs and Border Protection, the passengers were cleared to board a replacement flight with a fresh crew, ultimately arriving in Spain the next afternoon with a delay of over nine hours.