Flight Returns to Miami After Passenger's Alleged Threat

An American Airlines flight bound for Guyana didn't get far before a passenger dust-up sent it right back to Miami. Officials say Flight 339 turned around after crew members reported a disturbance involving a passenger and flight attendants. "While we were climbing out, he rushed the flight attendants in the back of the aircraft," a crew member told air traffic control, according to radio transmissions cited by CBS News. The call suggested the passenger also threatened a member of the crew. "I guess the exact words were, 'I will take care of you when we land in Guyana,' but in a very threatening manner," a member of the crew said.

Deputies boarded the plane at the gate around 7:14pm Thursday, and the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office says its investigation found only a verbal clash, no assault, per the Miami Herald. The passenger was escorted off and was rebooked on another flight. No charges were filed. The original plane later continued on to Georgetown, Guyana. The FAA, which can levy civil fines topping $40,000 for unruly behavior, says it will investigate. So far in 2026, airlines have filed more than 1,400 unruly passenger reports, continuing a decline from a 2021 peak of nearly 6,000.