New Orleans, Nov. 12 – A United Airlines flight issued a hijack alert after a passenger tried storming the cockpit following a bomb threat during a routine journey from Newark to New Orleans. United flight UA2174, a Boeing 737 MAX 9 (Reg. N17422) carrying 46 passengers and six crew members, departed Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) around 9:30 p.m. on November 9, 2026, bound for Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY). Midflight, the passenger began acting irrationally and claimed he possessed a bomb, prompting immediate concern among the flight crew.
Identified as 34-year-old Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto, a Honduran national previously deported from the United States twice, the man allegedly attempted to gain access to the cockpit while asserting the explosive device was in his backpack. Authorities reported he changed into dark clothing before trying to force his way toward the flight deck. The crew successfully contained the situation by moving him to the rear of the aircraft, where he remained until the plane reached its destination without further escalation.
In response to the attempted cockpit breach and bomb threat, pilots transmitted the international transponder code 7500, signaling unlawful interference consistent with a hijacking attempt, and issued a Level 4 alert, the highest aviation threat designation for such scenarios. This coordinated response with air traffic control ensured heightened security protocols were activated across relevant channels while the aircraft continued its descent.
“United flight 2174 from Newark to New Orleans landed safely following a disruptive incident involving a passenger onboard. Law enforcement met the aircraft upon arrival,” a United Airlines spokesperson confirmed.
The flight landed safely in New Orleans around 11:15 p.m. local time, where Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office deputies met the aircraft and arrested Gomez-Alberto without incident. No injuries were reported among passengers or crew. He faces charges including terrorizing and communicating false information of planned arson, with Immigration and Customs Enforcement lodging a detainer given his prior immigration violations. United Airlines confirmed the safe arrival after the disruptive passenger incident.