The Menacing In-Flight Mistake That Could Get You In Serious Trouble

There are certain things you should never do on an airplane. Making a bomb threat is definitely one of them — even if you're just joking. One young airline passenger recently found a new way to joke about a bomb threat, and it caused serious trouble. 

If you've ever tried to connect to a public Wi-Fi network or a bluetooth device in a populated area, you've likely noticed that people select some pretty hilarious network and bluetooth device names. Some of them are just plain silly, and others appear to be intended to intimidate. Creating a network name that says "FBI Surveillance" is a common prank, and it's relatively harmless considering most people understand that a real FBI agent would never carelessly give themselves away like that. It's easy to see why some people select clever names. It could spread a little joy or give a stranger a chuckle. When you're on an airplane though, creating an intimidating bluetooth or network name — as this passenger did — is the opposite of funny. It could land you in serious trouble. 

After the tragic events that occurred on September 11, 2001, security is taken extremely seriously on flights all over the world. Multiple other terrorist attacks, either attempted or successful, have occurred in the years that followed. No one plays around when it comes to safety on commercial flights. Crew members are extensively trained to identify and handle threats. Every single passenger goes through security screenings before they are able to enter secure areas of airports. Still, some passengers think it's funny to create bluetooth devices with threatening names when they're on a plane.

Why anyone would find a pretend bomb threat humorous defies logic, but it does happen. When you make that kind of menacing in-flight mistake, you run the risk of ruining hundreds of people's travel plans, and you could face large fines and jail time.

On Saturday, May 30, 2026, a United Airlines flight took off from Newark Liberty International Airport around 6 p.m. The flight was bound for Palma de Mallorca, Spain — a destination known for its beautiful beaches and historic landmarks. There were 190 passengers on board the flight, most of whom were probably looking forward to a gorgeous vacation in one of Spain's most popular tourist spots. There were also 12 crew members on board. Unfortunately, Flight UA236 would not reach Spain that night. It was forced to turn around and return to Newark because one passenger seemed to play a menacing prank.

The news would later break that the culprit, a 16-year-old boy, had named his bluetooth device "BOMB." At this point, everyone should know that you don't talk about bombs on airplanes. It is something that aviation professionals never joke about. Every single bomb threat is treated like the real thing until proven otherwise.

According to a report by CBS news, air traffic control could be heard discussing the incident in recordings. "They have to inspect the whole aircraft, including the cargo area," a person who worked in the tower could be heard saying in the recording from LiveATC.net (via CBS). According to reports from passengers on social media, crew members had told the passengers to turn off all of their Bluetooth devices multiple times. According to some reports, passengers were given a one-minute warning and were told that the plane would be forced to turn around if devices were not turned off. Still, two Bluetooth networks remained active. So, in order to ensure the safety of passengers and crew members, the plane ultimately returned to Newark where all passengers were escorted off by law enforcement.

Suggesting that you may have a bomb is one of the worst things you can do on an airplane. While you might think a prank like this is funny, your crew members most certainly won't. Neither will the other passengers when they realize that they won't be making it to their destination as planned. That 16-year-old boy probably wasn't laughing anymore when he was being questioned by law enforcement — especially after all the trouble he had caused: The passengers were eventually rescreened by security — after leaving their bags on the plane — and finally allowed to reboard at around 2:30 a.m.

Airlines face multiple bomb threats each year. Most of them turn out to be hoaxes, but they are all taken seriously. If you decide to make this menacing in-flight mistake, you will face criminal charges. Although information on what happened to the perpetrator on the United Airlines flight to Spain has not been released, federal law provides a glimpse at what can be expected. According to the United States Department of Justice, someone who participates in a bomb hoax could face fines of up to $5,000. They could also face up to five years in prison "for conveying or imparting false information willfully and maliciously or with reckless disregard for the safety of human life."

Passengers who decide to pull scary pranks or make bomb threats may also end up on a no-fly list, which means any future travel plans could become very difficult. If you're thinking about pulling such a prank on your next flight, you should definitely reconsider. Doing so could land you in serious trouble.