United Flight Returns to Las Vegas After Security Threat

A United Airlines flight from Las Vegas to Newark returned to its departure airport after a potential security concern prompted a police response, delaying passengers overnight and pushing their arrival more than eight hours beyond schedule. Authorities arrested a 25-year-old man following reports of threats aboard the aircraft.

United Flight 1681 departed Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas at approximately 10:30 p.m. local time on October 24 for a roughly five-hour trip to Newark Liberty International Airport, United told USA TODAY. The Boeing 737 turned back about an hour after takeoff.

The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department said officers responded to a report involving a passenger who made threats aboard the flight. Authorities identified the arrested man as Dante Milne, 25, who was booked into the Clark County Detention Center.

The police department described the incident as involving "a person who made terroristic threats on a flight," according to its statement.

Harry Reid International Airport also confirmed to USA TODAY that the aircraft returned because of security concerns. No injuries were reported among the 150 passengers and six crew members aboard the flight.

United characterized the incident as a "potential security concern," according to a statement the airline provided to USA TODAY. The aircraft's return disrupted the original travel schedule and required an overnight delay.

The flight could not depart again as planned because the crew reached its legally permitted working-hour limit, a restriction that applies to pilots and flight attendants. The resulting crew timeout delayed the journey until the following morning.

According to FlightAware, United Flight 1681 departed Las Vegas again at approximately 7 a.m. on October 25 and landed at Newark around 3 p.m. Eastern Time. Its arrival came more than eight hours after the scheduled time.