NBC News reports that a United flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca "turned back to Newark after crew were alerted to a Bluetooth device whose name included the word 'bomb', according to airline and law enforcement sources." The article states that "a passenger reported seeing a Bluetooth signal labeled with the word 'bomb' on their phone and notified flight attendants," prompting the crew to follow standard bomb-threat protocols and return to Newark, where law enforcement met the aircraft. It adds that authorities later determined there was no explosive device on board.

The article reports that United Airlines flight 236 from Newark to Palma de Mallorca "turned around over the Atlantic Ocean after a Bluetooth device named 'BOMB' was detected on board." It explains that a Bluetooth device with that name appeared on screens, prompting the crew to follow bomb-threat protocols and return to Newark, where the plane was met by emergency vehicles and passengers were re-screened.

AirLive reports that a United Airlines flight to Spain "was forced to make a mid-Atlantic U-turn after a passenger’s named Bluetooth device triggered a full-scale security emergency." It states that a passenger, reportedly a 16‑year‑old boy, had set "the discoverable network name of his personal Bluetooth speaker to read ‘BOMB,’" and that because Bluetooth signals broadcast to nearby phones and laptops, "the name popped up on the screens of passengers and crew members inside the cabin, instantly triggering a standard bomb-threat protocol."

According to LiveATC.net recordings and passenger accounts, a United flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca diverted back to Newark after crew were alerted to a Bluetooth device whose broadcast name was set to “BOMB.” The article explains: "Any passenger can broadcast any device name to every phone and seatback screen within range — and under current protocols, the word ‘BOMB’ in that context triggers a mandatory security response." It notes that the device name appeared on nearby passengers’ and crew members’ screens, prompting bomb‑threat procedures and a return to Newark for a full security sweep.

Simple Flying describes how a United flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca "was forced to return to Newark" due to a security alert involving a Bluetooth device. It writes that "early reports indicate that a teenage passenger onboard named their device 'BOMB,' and the discoverable name escalated quickly into a bomb-threat scare." The article notes that cabin crew made announcements asking passengers to switch off Bluetooth devices and that the incident prompted a diversion and security response on the ground.

The Aviation Herald documents that a United Boeing 767-300, registration N***, operating flight UA236 from Newark to Palma de Mallorca, "was enroute over the Atlantic Ocean when the crew decided to return to Newark due to a security concern on board." The entry states that the aircraft landed safely back in Newark, where it was inspected and no threat was found. The report cites passenger reports indicating that the return was related to a suspicious Bluetooth device name observed in the cabin.

In a section titled "United flight diverts over ‘bomb’ bluetooth speaker name," the article explains that a United Airlines flight from Newark to Palma de Mallorca returned to Newark after a Bluetooth device named “bomb” was detected. According to passengers’ accounts cited in the piece, a passenger first alerted the crew after seeing the device name, the crew then repeatedly asked everyone to turn off Bluetooth networks, and when two signals including one with the name “bomb” remained on, "the decision was made to return to Newark." The article notes that it was eventually determined "that a teenager had a speaker with that bluetooth name, and he was removed from the flight."

Euro Weekly News describes that United Airlines flight UA236 from Newark to Palma de Mallorca "was forced to turn back over the Atlantic Ocean after a Bluetooth device broadcasting the name ‘BOMB’ triggered a security alert on board." It notes that several hours into the flight, "crew members became aware of a Bluetooth signal carrying the alarming name" and, treating it as a potential threat, decided to return to Newark so authorities could investigate. After a search on the ground, authorities found no explosive device and determined that the Bluetooth device name which triggered the alert "was not linked to any genuine danger."

ABC7 New York reports that "A flight from Newark returned to the airport after a passenger named their Bluetooth device 'BOMB.'" The story cites other passengers saying that crew "repeatedly asked everyone to turn off their devices" and notes that a passenger apparently making a "funny joke" by naming a Bluetooth device this way led the airline to treat it as compromising the safety of the flight and to turn back.

In the broadcast segment, ABC7’s reporter states that "A flight from Newark had to return to the airport because a passenger named their Bluetooth device 'BOMB.'" The anchor explains that other passengers said the crew repeatedly asked everyone to turn off their devices and that what was described as a passenger’s "funny joke" was considered to be compromising the safety of the flight, leading to the aircraft turning back.

Across multiple recent airline incidents, passengers or crew have reported Wi‑Fi or Bluetooth network names containing the word "bomb" (for example, "I have a bomb" or similar) appearing on pairing or network lists on their devices. Airlines and crews have typically treated these as potential bomb threats, sometimes returning to the departure airport or delaying flights while aircraft are searched, even when the names ultimately turned out to be pranks or default device labels.

The Sun reports that a United Airlines jet "had to turn back mid-flight" after "the name 'BOMB' appeared on passengers' Bluetooth lists," believed to be associated with a teen passenger's speaker. The tabloid notes that crew took the threat seriously, coordinating with airline operations and law enforcement, and that the device name was visible on multiple passengers' phone screens before the diversion decision was made.