Passengers Held on United Flight From Newark for More Than 2 Hours After Threat Is Found in Bathroom

Sixty-five passengers aboard a flight from Newark to Vermont had to stay on the plane for an additional two hours after pilots learned of a threat left in an aircraft bathroom shortly before the plane landed, according to local officials and news reports.

No one was injured and investigators from the FBI, Vermont State Police and local police found nothing out of the ordinary after United Airlines flight 3613 landed at Burlington International Airport, authorities said.

“Nothing unusual or suspicious was found on the plane,” said airport aviation director Nic Longo at a news conference at the airport Sunday evening. He declined to elaborate on the threat when asked by local reporters.

MyNBC5.com said the threat was found in a bathroom on the plane, but didn’t cite a source.

Pilots learned of the threat about 20 minutes before the plane landed and notified officials in the air traffic control tower, who called law enforcement officials to the airport, a Vermont State Police spokesperson said.

The plane, operated by Republic Airways for United, departed Newark at 3:27 p.m. and landed in Burlington around 4:30 p.m.

The plane was moved away from other aircraft on the tarmac to be checked as the airport was closed, officials said. Passengers were allowed to exit the plane at about 6:45 p.m. and the airport re-opened at 7:30 p.m.

Vermont State Police referred questions to the FBI, which did not respond to a request to comment. United Airlines directed questions to Republic Airways, which also did not respond to a request to comment.

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