Two Newark-bound flights disrupted in less than a week

🚨A United flight from Milan to Newark was diverted to Maine Tuesday

🚨Law enforcement removed a passenger after the plane landed in Bangor

🚨The diversion came days after another Newark-bound flight was disrupted

An unruly passenger caused a United Airlines flight headed to Newark to be diverted to Maine on Tuesday afternoon.

United flight 18, with 274 passengers and 13 crew members, was en route from Milan Malpensa Airport in Italy when it landed around noon at Bangor International Airport, according to the FAA. Law enforcement removed the passenger from the plane. FlightAware.com shows the plane left about an hour later to complete the flight.

Neither the FAA nor United disclosed details about the passenger's behavior or identity. Bangor police referred New Jersey 101.5's inquiry about whether the passenger was arrested to the FBI, which did not respond as of Wednesday morning.

A passenger on X said a drunk woman “bit and kicked her seatmate and then punched a flight attendant" Another passenger on his TikTok account said the plane was landing in Maine because of a "crazy person yelling and screaming." He included edited video showing Customs police entering the cockpit and speaking with a woman before leading her off the plane.

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Another Newark-bound flight disrupted days later

The incident comes less than a week after passengers on board an American Airlines flight headed to Newark from Reno diverted to Baltimore when a foul-mouthed passenger had to be duct taped to his seat.

Juan Mejia told ABC 7 Eyewitness News the passenger was using the N-word and made derogatory remarks.

Richard O'Lenick said the passenger also said the plane was going to crash and choked the person sitting next to him. O'Lenick made eye contact with the person being choked and "did what I had to do," he told ABC 7 Eyewitness News.

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@competitivesignsRerouted flight to Maine because of a crazy passenger 😩 - had to land call, the cops and get her off the plane , now ready to take off and go back to New Jersey♬ original sound - Competitive Signs

FAA has recorded 1,200 unruly passenger incidents in 2026

Airlines have reported 1,200 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2026, according to the FAA.

The agency says it investigates all passenger-disturbance incidents that airlines report and pursues legal enforcement action against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates or interferes with airline crewmembers. The FAA can propose civil penalties of up to $43,658 per violation.

One incident can result in multiple violations. Passengers who engage in unruly behavior can also face criminal charges.

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