Aviation

U.S.-bound flight diverted to Ireland after threat found onboard

"Flight Chaos Unleashed: Unprecedented Storms and Airline Disruptions Sweep Across the United States"

NEW YORK/DUBLIN (Reuters) – A United Airlines flight from Rome to Chicago was diverted to Ireland’s Shannon Airport on Monday after a message perceived as a potential security concern was discovered on board, Irish police and airline officials said.

The message made reference to a bomb on the plane, a source with knowledge of the investigation told Reuters.

The 207 passengers and 11 crew members disembarked from the Boeing 767-330 at Shannon Airport at 2:15 p.m. local time, according to Jim Molloy, a representative of Ireland’s police force.

The passengers of flight UA971 were in the process of being searched, he said in an emailed statement but gave no further details about the nature of the threat.

United said in a statement that the landing was due to “a potential security concern,” but declined to comment further.

“After assessing the situation, our crew made the decision to divert to the nearest available airport,” it said. “Additional security screenings will be performed on all customers and baggage.”

The airline said on Twitter that the flight was now canceled and would depart for Chicago on Tuesday.

The U.S. government was aware of the incident and seeking to establish whether there was any violent intent behind the threat, a U.S. government source familiar with the investigation told Reuters.

A second U.S. government source said similar incidents involving threatening notes found on airplanes happen about once a week.

The handwriting on the note was being analyzed to see if it matched with any other such notes, which are periodically found on aircraft, one of the sources said. It was not clear whether the note was posted in the bathroom prior to takeoff or during the flight.

Police were also taking handwriting samples from the passengers, the Irish Times reported. The message was found in the plane toilet, it said, without citing sources.

The United jet completed its descent after jettisoning some of the fuel loaded for its transatlantic crossing, according to recordings on air traffic control site LiveATC.net.

Aviation

No More Jet Airways. Supreme Court Says “No Choice”, Orders Liquidation

Jet Airways was once one of India’s leading airlines, known for its service and extensive network. Founded in 1993, it served millions of passengers, connecting cities across India and international destinations.

However, since grounding its flights in April 2019, Jet Airways has struggled to navigate financial turbulence, leading to years of efforts to revive the airline and return it to the skies.

On Thursday, the Supreme Court ordered the liquidation of Jet Airways, citing “no choice” but to take this decisive step after the resolution plan failed to meet creditor obligations. The court invoked its extraordinary powers under Article 142, which allows it to make orders for “complete justice” in any case, overriding previous tribunal rulings.

China Set to Debut New J-35A Stealth Fighter at Zhuhai Airshow

The Jalan-Kalrock Consortium (JKC), which had won the bid to revive Jet, faced criticism for not fulfilling payment commitments to creditors, which included major banks like the State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.

The Supreme Court’s ruling pointed to “peculiar and alarming” issues surrounding the resolution plan’s implementation, leading to its conclusion that liquidation was the only feasible outcome.

HondaJet’s New Auto-Throttle: A Game-Changer for Luxury Aviation

Chief Justice DY Chandrachud, alongside Justices JB Pardiwala and Manoj Misra, emphasized that while liquidation should be a last resort, it was necessary as the resolution plan was “no longer capable of implementation.”

In line with this decision, the court ordered that the ₹200 crore already infused by JKC be forfeited and directed the National Company Law Appellate Tribunal (NCLAT) in Mumbai to appoint a liquidator to oversee the process.

JKC, a partnership between Murari Jalan, a UAE-based Indian entrepreneur, and Florian Fritsch, a Jet shareholder through Kalrock Capital Partners Limited, had taken ownership of Jet Airways two years after it was grounded. The consortium’s inability to fulfill its financial obligations has now led to this final verdict, marking the end of an era for Jet Airways in India.