United Flight Lands Safely After Hijacking Alert

United Flight 2174 sent a hijacking alert after a passenger reportedly claimed he had a bomb in his backpack and attempted to get into the cockpit during a flight from Newark, New Jersey, to New Orleans on November 9. The Boeing 737 MAX 9 departed Newark at 9:27 p.m. Eastern time and reached the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport at 11:16 p.m. Central time.

Pilots transmitted code 7500, used to signal a hijacking, and the incident was described as a Level 4 alert, indicating an attempted or actual cockpit breach. The man was moved to the rear of the aircraft and seated with crew members. The flight continued to New Orleans and landed safely.

Jefferson Parish sheriff’s officials identified the passenger as a 34-year-old man and said he was arrested without incident. He was booked into the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center on allegations of communicating false information about planned arson and terrorizing. The other passengers were safely taken off the plane and transported to the terminal. United said law enforcement met the aircraft after it arrived. There were 49 passengers and six crew members aboard.