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Alaska Airlines flight deplanes after reported threats from passengers - USA Today
From USA Today via USVI News: An Alaska Airlines flight returned to the gate following a reported “passenger disturbance,” according to the FAA.
Passengers deplaned from an Alaska Airlines flight after reported threats prompted a lockdown, but authorities found no credible threat.
An Alaska Airlines flight returned to the gate following a reported “passenger disturbance,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The incident took place while the plane was taxiing for departure on Aug. 9 at Miami International Airport. The flight was bound for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the FAA told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
A pilot can be heard alerting air traffic controllers that the crew had set the parking brake in audio from the ATC app. “We want to go into a lockdown protocol,” the pilot said. “We’re shutting down our engine.”
The pilot noted that flight attendants had “received threats from customers onboard the aircraft,” and requested that controllers contact law enforcement.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office Airport District deputies responded around 6:40 p.m. Passengers deplaned during the investigation in “an abundance of caution.”
“The investigation determined there was no credible threat,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “The two individuals involved were rebooked on another flight.”
The FAA also said it will investigate.
Alaska Airlines confirmed that the passengers "were disruptive during the aircraft’s taxi," but did not share additional specifics about their conduct. The customers were temporarily banned from the airline.
"The safety of our guests and crew is always our highest priority," Alaska said in an email. "We appreciate our employees' professionalism and apologize to our guests for the delay and inconvenience."
The original flight was canceled because of extended aircraft maintenance, and Alaska said it is working to rebook all impacted flyers.
There have been 1,014 reports of unruly passengers so far in 2026, according to FAA data. The agency received 1,621 reports in 2025, down from 2,096 the year before.
This story was updated to refresh headlines and add new information.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article is republished through the USVI News affiliate desk. Reporting, analysis, and viewpoints are those of the original publisher and do not necessarily reflect USVI News.