The Boeing 777, operating as Flight 253, was flying over the Pacific Ocean when the onboard situation escalated, leading the flight crew to divert to Los Angeles due to safety concerns involving a disruptive passenger, according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), which has confirmed it will investigate the incident.
Internal reports from the Chicago-based carrier classified the disturbance as a Level 2 threat. This designation indicates physical violence occurred onboard, surpassing mere non-compliance and suggesting that either a crew member or another passenger may have been physically assaulted during the flight.
The aircraft landed safely at LAX at approximately 3:15 p.m. local time, where local law enforcement officials boarded the plane and escorted at least one individual off. Passenger accounts suggest that the primary disruptive individual was uncooperative with flight attendants and may have engaged in violent behavior. The specific details of the altercation are currently under investigation by the FAA.
Following the unscheduled landing and the removal of the initial disruptive passenger in Los Angeles, Flight UA253 eventually continued its journey and arrived in Honolulu (HNL). However, upon arrival in Hawaii, authorities reportedly removed two additional passengers from the flight. At this time, it remains unclear whether these subsequent removals were directly connected to the initial mid-air incident or involved separate instances of misconduct.
This incident marks the latest in a series of disruptive passenger events experienced by United Airlines on its international routes in recent weeks.
On Monday, April 14, 2025, Flight UA85 from Ben Gurion Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport encountered a mid-air disturbance. The Boeing 787-10 Dreamliner landed safely in Newark at approximately 3:30 p.m. local time despite the onboard issue.
Earlier in April 2025, authorities arrested a passenger who caused a significant disruption on United Airlines Flight UA3049 from Dubai to Newark. This incident occurred approximately 10-11 hours into the 14-hour flight aboard a Boeing 777-300ER aircraft. Upon arrival in Newark, around twenty law enforcement officers boarded the plane. The disruption led to temporary restrictions on passenger movement and the closure of rear lavatories.
These recent events echo a similar situation in 2023 when United Airlines Flight UA20, traveling from Houston to Amsterdam, was diverted to Chicago O’Hare International Airport due to a disruptive business class passenger. The passenger, seated in 11G, reportedly became unruly after not receiving their preferred meal option. The crew made the decision to dump fuel before making the unscheduled landing in Chicago.
Internal United communications shared by aviation watchdog JonNYC classified the 2023 diversion as a "Disruptive pax on board, seat 11G, threat level 1," the lowest threat level. However, the passenger's extreme behavior still necessitated the costly diversion. A fellow passenger reported that the disruptive individual appeared intoxicated, suggesting that alcohol may have been a contributing factor in that incident.
The increasing frequency of these disruptive passenger incidents raises concerns about onboard safety and the challenges faced by airline crews in managing such situations. The FAA's investigation into the latest incident on Flight UA253 will likely shed more light on the specifics of the altercation and any potential contributing factors.