SHAH ALAM – An American Airlines flight was forced to return to its origin airport after a passenger misinterpreted a text message and raised a security alarm.
According to People, shortly after takeoff, a passenger noticed their seatmate receiving a text with the acronym "RIP", typically used for "rest in peace."
Fearing the worst, the passenger mistakenly assumed it was a threat and reported it to the cabin crew.
This prompted the activation of emergency safety procedures and ultimately led to the plane’s return to San Juan.
According to the Puerto Rico Office of Explosives and Public Safety, the passenger reported the message as suspicious, believing it might suggest imminent danger.
The airline confirmed the aircraft turned back “due to a possible security concern”.
“American Airlines flight 1847, with service from San Juan (SJU) to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), returned to SJU shortly after departure due to a possible security concern.
“The flight landed safely at SJU and law enforcement inspected and cleared the aircraft to re-depart. Safety and security are our top priorities and we apologise to our customers for the inconvenience,” a spokesperson for American Airlines said in a statement to People.
Once the flight landed safely at Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Puerto Rico, both the passenger who reported the message and the individual who received it were questioned by airport security and TSA officers.
Upon investigation, it was revealed that the passenger who received the message had just lost a family member the day before, and was travelling to Dallas to be with relatives.
The “RIP” text had been sent by someone expressing condolences, a personal message taken out of context.
“It was a mix-up that was handled in accordance with safety protocols. There was no real threat to the flight or its passengers,” Aerostar operations director Nelman Nevárez said in an interview with Primera Hora.
Despite the false alarm, safety procedures were followed appropriately, and no arrests were made.
The flight, which had 193 passengers on board, was cleared to take off again at 10am local time and landed safely in Dallas.