Passenger caught sending text about hijacking the aircraft to another passenger

A routine cross-country flight in the United States took a serious turn late on Saturday the 24th of October 2026, when a passenger allegedly sent messages threatening to hijack the aircraft and crash it.

United Airlines Flight UA1681, operating from Harry Reid International Airport (LAS/KLAS) in Las Vegas to Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR/KEWR) in New Jersey, was forced to return to the airport after a member of the cabin crew reportedly spotted the alarming messages.

Shortly after take-off, a flight attendant noticed a text message on a passenger's mobile phone that raised immediate concerns about the safety of the aircraft and everyone on board. According to details contained in a criminal complaint, the message allegedly included the words, “I'm gonna hijack this plane” and “crash ur row only”.

The messages were reportedly sent by a passenger identified as 25-year-old Dante Raymond Milne, who was seated in row 10. The intended recipient was another passenger seated in row 37. The flight attendant recognised the potential seriousness of the message and alerted the lead flight attendant, who subsequently informed the captain.

Rather than confronting the passenger, the crew reportedly maintained a calm cabin environment while the pilots assessed the situation and implemented security procedures. The passenger was apparently unaware that his messages had been detected or that the crew was taking action. The crew's decision to return to Las Vegas meant abandoning the flight to Newark and dealing with a potentially serious security threat while the aircraft was airborne.

Air traffic control recordings subsequently provided an insight into the situation unfolding aboard the aircraft.

In the reported radio exchange, the captain explained that a flight attendant had seen a passenger texting about hijacking the aircraft. The crew had responded by initiating a lockdown and turning back to Las Vegas. When asked by air traffic control whether the passenger was compliant or restrained, the pilot indicated that the individual was unaware of what was happening and remained compliant.

The decision not to confront the passenger in flight was an important aspect of the response. By avoiding a direct confrontation, the crew was able to maintain control of the situation while returning the aircraft to an airport where law enforcement could intervene.

For the passengers on board, the return meant an unexpected diversion. For the crew, it meant managing a security concern while continuing to ensure the aircraft could be landed safely.

Air traffic control was advised of the situation, and the aircraft was given priority to facilitate its return. Following the landing, law enforcement officers responded to the aircraft and detained Milne without incident. He was booked into the Clark County Detention Center on a charge of making a threat or conveying false information concerning an act of terrorism. The charge is a very serious one, carrying a potential prison sentence of 1 to 20 years under the applicable Nevada law, according to reports on the case.

However, an arrest and criminal charge do not constitute a conviction, and the allegations must still be tested through the legal process. According to the arrest report, Milne told detectives that he had been exchanging messages with a co-worker and characterised the conversation as banter and mucking around.

He denied intending to hijack the aircraft, crash it or hurt anyone. He also reportedly acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and expressed remorse. His lawyer indicated that he intended to plead not guilty. Milne was released on a $10,000 bail payment and a preliminary hearing is scheduled for the 5th of January 2027.

The case remains a reminder that messages which might be intended as funny jokes can have serious consequences when they appear to threaten the safety of an aircraft.

Aircraft Information
Airline: United Airlines 
Code: UA/UAL 
Aircraft: Boeing 737 Max 8
Registration: N17310
Serial Number: 67566
Engines: 2 x CFMI LEAP-1B
First Flew: June 2023
Age: 3.4 Years

Looking back on Lion Air Flight 610

LION AIR BOEING 737-8GP PK-LQV (MSN 39861)

 

Lion Air Flight 610 was a scheduled domestic passenger flight from Jakarta-Soekarno-Hatta International Airport (CGK/WIII), Indonesia to Pangkal Pinang Airport (PGK/WIKK), Indonesia

On the 29th of October 2018, the Boeing 737 MAX operating the route crashed into the Java Sea 13 minutes after takeoff, killing all 189 passengers and crew. It was the first major accident involving the new Boeing 737 MAX series of aircraft, introduced in 2017, and the highest death toll of any accident or incident involving the entire Boeing 737 series, Original, Classic, Next Generation or MAX, surpassing Air India Express Flight 812 in 2010. It was the deadliest accident in Lion Air's history, surpassing the 2004 Lion Air Flight 538 that killed 25, and the second deadliest aircraft accident in Indonesia behind Garuda Indonesia Flight 152.

The aircraft departed at 6:20 a.m. local time and was scheduled to arrive at Depati Amir Airport in Pangkal Pinang at 7:20 a.m. It took off in a westward direction before circling around to a northeast heading, which it held until crashing offshore northeast of Jakarta in waters estimated to be up to 35 m (115 ft) deep. The flight crew had requested clearance to return to the Jakarta airport 35 km (19 nautical miles) into the flight. The accident site was located 34 km (18 nautical miles) off the coast of the island of Java.

Communication between air traffic control (ATC) and Flight 610 was suddenly lost at 6:33 a.m. ATC informed the National Search and Rescue Agency, which deployed three ships and a helicopter to the area. At 7:30 a.m., the agency received reports that Flight 610 had crashed a few kilometres from an offshore oil platform. Workers on the platform reportedly saw the aircraft crash with a steep nose-down angle. Boats from the platform were immediately deployed and debris from the crashed aircraft was found shortly after.

The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8, registration PK-LQP, serial number 43000, line number 7058, powered by two CFM International LEAP - 1B25 engines. The aircraft was leased from China Minsheng Investment Group (CMIG) Aviation Capital. It made its first flight on the 30th of July 2018 and was delivered new to Lion Air on the 13th of August 2018. At the time of the accident, the aircraft was only three months old had flown around 800 hours in service.

Our thoughts are with the families and friends reflecting on their loved ones today.

Man charged after allegedly assaulting cabin crew at Brisbane Airport

A NSW man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting an airline staff member and causing property damage inside a Brisbane Airport terminal.

The 51-year-old Portland man was at the boarding gate on Monday when he allegedly became very aggressive towards airline staff before striking a staff member in the chest and damaging equipment on a check-in counter.

The man then walked to a baggage collection area and allegedly began throwing passengers luggage off the carousel and became aggressive with other airport-goers.

Members of the public restrained the man until AFP officers arrived at the scene and placed the man under arrest. He was taken to Brisbane Watch House and charged with one count of wilful damage, one count of common assault, and one count of public nuisance.

AFP Detective acting Superintendent Kurt Wesche said the man’s aggressive behaviour towards airline staff was unacceptable.

“The AFP has zero tolerance for antisocial, violent or disruptive behaviour at our airports, and the AFP will take action against any alleged offenders,” Supt. Wesche said.

“The travelling public, airport and airline staff deserve to feel safe at our airports and the AFP will continue to work hard to protect the community in the airport precinct.”

The man is scheduled to appear in Brisbane Magistrates Court in the next few days.

Stung with a parking fine for an 18-second airport stop to tackle a wasp

No matter what the cause, airports in England are ruthless in issuing a parking charge notices (PCN) if a car stops in a red zone.

A man visiting the airport had to stop his car for 18 seconds in a red zone at Leeds Bradford airport (LBA/EGNM)  to deal with a large wasp. It was buzzing right in front of my face and making safe-driving impossible.

The result was a £100 parking charge notice sent to my wife (the registered owner) by Vehicle Control Services (VCS). The gentleman went on saying I’ve explained the circumstances to VCS, whose CCTV footage shows I only stopped for 18 seconds and never left the car, but it won’t listen.

Things did improved when I contacted the airport, which ordered the VCS to refund the charge as “goodwill”. The airport tells me that if you had contacted it directly, it would have intervened earlier. However, it is evidently worried that its actions in this case will open the floodgates to wasp-ridden drivers.

“Stopping in this area remains enforceable,” it says sternly. “And due to the safety-critical nature of the road, we would not be able to consider cancellation of any future penalty notices for stopping in this area.” VCS did not respond to a request for a comment.

Parking operators are infamously ruthless when enforcing airport no-stopping zones. In the past drivers have been charged for stopping at temporary lights, or waiting in traffic queues and had to go on and fight the charges.

A tragic day for Philippine military aviation

Four Philippine Air Force pilots have lost their lives following a mid-air collision involving two military training aircraft at Fernando Air Base in the Philippines. The pilots involved were from the 102nd Pilot Training Squadron "Cougars".

The accident occurred at approximately 3:51 pm local time on Friday, the 23rd of October 2026, in Lipa City, Batangas province, south of the capital, Manila. The aircraft involved were two Italian-designed SIAI-Marchetti SF-260 trainers operating during a training flight. Both aircraft crashed within the boundaries of Fernando Air Base (RPUL), killing all four pilots aboard.

The Philippine Air Force confirmed the fatalities on Saturday, expressing its condolences to the families, friends and fellow aircrew of the deceased.

No additional casualties on the ground were reported.

The tragedy has once again highlighted the inherent risks associated with military flying, where pilots must operate in close proximity to other aircraft while maintaining precise control, situational awareness and coordination. For the families of the four pilots, however, the loss is far more personal. Four people who went to work performing their duties as military aviators will not be returning home.

Local media reported that the flight involved seven aircraft operating in a coordinated formation. Following the accident, the remaining five aircraft reportedly landed safely. The two aircraft involved have been identified in Philippine media reports as SF-260s carrying the tail numbers 032 and 037.

Another day spotting at Auckland Airport

After a few days exploring the beautiful but chilly Auckland, my wonderful wife gave me a day at Auckland Airport for plane spotting. I have to admit, I often get frustrated at Brisbane Airport, where it’s just Virgin, Jetstar, and Qantas over and over. But after spending a day at Auckland Airport, I feel for their spotters—almost every arrival was Air New Zealand. After a while, I just watched instead of taking photos.

Auckland Airport (AKL/NZAA) is an interesting airport because it operates with one main runway, but its runway numbering, 23L makes it look like there's supposed to be a second one. And there is a very good reason for that! Auckland has been planning a second, parallel runway for many decades. The airport's 2025 master plan places the proposed northern runway in the 2033–2038 development period, although I believe that is a planning target rather than a guarantee of an opening date.

The airport is operated by Auckland International Airport Limited and is located at Māngere, a residential suburb 21 kilometres (13 miles) south of the Auckland city centre. The airport has a single 3,635 metre (11,926 ft) runway, 05R/23L, which is Cat IIIb capable in the 23L direction. It has a capacity of about 45 flight movements per hour and is currently the busiest single-runway airport in Oceania. It has a elevation AMSL 7 metres (23 feet).

DASSUALT FALCON 7X EASY N997X (MSN 144) 15 YEARS

EMIRATES AIRBUS A380-861 A6-EUK (MSN 223)
EK80T ARRIVING FROM DUBAI (DXB) 10 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8 300 ZK-NEG (MSN 621)
NZ5164 ARRIVING FROM GISBORNE (GIS) 20 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-232 VH-VGA (MSN 4899)
JQ232 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 14 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A320-232 ZK-OXG (MSN 6460)
NZ580 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 11 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND BOEING 777-319 ZK-OKO (MSN 38407)
NZ284 OFF TO SINGAPORE (SIN) 15 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYA (MSN 10963)
NZ619 OFF TO QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 4 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS BOEING 737 808 DQ-FJN (MSN 34969)
FJ451 OVERFLYING FROM NADI TO CHRISTCHURCH

AIR CHATHAMS ATR 72-500 ZK-MCO (MSN 628)
3C179 ARRIVING FROM QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 26 YEARS

LIFE FLIGHT BEECH KING AIR 200C ZK-LFW (MSN BL-156)
LFT02 ARRIVING FROM WELLINGTON (WLG) 16 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-XZJ (MSN 39365)
QF141 ARRIVING FROM SYDNEY (SYD) 12 YEARS

QANTAS BOEING 737-838 VH-VZY (MSN 39363)
QF151 ARRIVING FROM MELBOURNE (MEL) 14 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A320-232 ZK-OAB (MSN 4553)
NZ612 ARRIVING FROM QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 15 YEARS

KOREAN AIR BOEING 787-10 HL8574 (MSN 60307)
KE412 OFF TO SEOUL (ICN) 1 YEAR

MALAYSIA AIRLINES AIRBUS A330-941 9M-MNL (MSN 2099)
MH145 ARRIVING FROM KUALA LUMPUR (KUL) 1 YEAR

CATHAY PACIFIC AIRBUS A350-941 B-LRG (MSN 053)
CX113 ARRIVING FROM HONG KONG (HKG) 9 YEARS

AIR TAHITI NUI BOEING 787-9 F-OMUA (MSN 39267)
TN101 ARRIVING FROM PAPEETE (PPT) 8 YEARS

BARRIER AIR CESSNA GRAND CARAVAN ZK-SDC (MSN 208B-2057)
GBA106 ARRIVING FROM CLARIS (GBZ) 18 YEARS

FIJI AIRWAYS AIRBUS A330-243 DQ-FJU (MSN 14146)
FJ411 ARRIVING FROM NADI (NAN) 13 YEARS

SINGAPORE AIRLINES BOEING 777-312 9V-SNB (MSN 42241)
SQ285 ARRIVING FROM SINGAPORE (SIN) 11 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A320-251N VH-A5B (MSN 12229)
JQ131 ARRIVING FROM GOLD COAST (OOL) 1 YEAR

QANTAS AIRBUS A330-202 VH-EBO (MSN 1169)
QF119 ARRIVING FROM BRISBANE (BNE) 16 YEARS

AIR CHATHAMS SAB 340A ZK-CIT (MSN 340A-155)
3C835 ARRIVING FROM WHAKATANE (WHK) 37 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND ATR 72-600 ZK-MVP (MSN 1444)
NZ5540 ARRIVING FROM PALMERSTON NORTH (PMR) 9 YEARS

UNITED AIRLINES BOEING 777-224 N78013 (MSN 29861)
UA916 OFF TO SAN FRANCISCO (SFO) 27 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYA (MSN 10963)
NZ548 ARRIVING FROM CHRISTCHURCH (CHC) 4 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8-300 ZK-NEQ (MSN 636)
NZ5212 ARRIVING FROM BLENHEIM (BHE) 20 YEARS

CHINA EASTERN BOEING 777-39P B-7883 (MSN 43284)
MU779 ARRIVING FROM SHANGHAI (PVG) 9 YEARS

CHINA SOUTHERN AIRBUS A350-941 B-30CE (MSN 376)
CZ305 ARRIVING FROM GUANGZHOU (CAN) 6 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND DASH 8-300 ZK-NEZ (MSN 654) 
NZ5166 ARRIVING FROM GISBORNE (GIS) 19 YEARS

QATAR AIRWAYS AIRBUS A350-941 A7-AME (MSN 163)
QR915 OFF TO ADELAIDE (ADL) 8 YEARS

CESSNA CITATION CJ2 ZK-KGS (MSN 525A0156) 23 YEARS

JETSTAR AIRBUS A321-251NX VH-OYW (MSN 12183)
JQ154 OFF TO BRISBANE (BNE) 1 YEAR

CHINA EASTERN BOEING 777-39P B-7882 (MSN 43287)
MU745 ARRIVING FROM SHANGHAI (PVG) 9 YEARS

AIR NEW ZEALAND AIRBUS A321-271NX ZK-OYB (MSN 11049)
NZ625 OFF TO QUEENSTOWN (ZQN) 3 YEARS