A United Airlines flight carrying 200 passengers was evacuated on the tarmac at Denver International Airport on Sunday, April 19, after a bomb threat prompted a full security response that delayed the aircraft for more than five hours.
United flight 2408, an Airbus A321 bound for Washington Dulles International Airport, was ordered to deplane before departure due to what the airline described as a “security concern.” The aircraft was carrying 200 passengers and seven crew members.
Passengers disembarked as authorities screened the aircraft. Police vehicles surrounded the plane while emergency crews stood at the aircraft’s doors. No explosive device was found. Travelers were later allowed into the terminal, where they were provided with food while the investigation was underway.
The Airbus A321neo eventually departed Denver just after 11:30 p.m., more than five hours behind schedule, and arrived safely in Washington, D.C., at 4:28 a.m. on Monday.
The incident was the second security scare involving United Airlines in as many days. The previous day, Saturday April 18, United flight 2092 from Chicago O’Hare International Airport to LaGuardia Airport was diverted mid-journey and landed at Pittsburgh International Airport after the crew flagged a potential threat onboard. The Boeing 737 was carrying 159 passengers and six crew members, all of whom were evacuated safely.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) later confirmed the threat on the Pittsburgh flight was unfounded after bomb technicians swept the aircraft and agents interviewed the flight crew.
Audio recordings shared online captured cockpit communication in which the crew referenced an unexplained beeping sound during the Pittsburgh flight, which prompted the diversion decision.
United Airlines has not publicly commented on whether the two incidents are related.
