WASHINGTON (7News) — A United Airlines flight headed to Guatemala City made an emergency landing at Washington Dulles International Airport Thursday night after an incident involving an unruly passenger.
A spokesperson for United Airlines told 7News that United Flight 1551 landed safely at the Virginia airport and was met by law enforcement officers upon arrival.
The flight, which was traveling from Newark Liberty International Airport to Guatemala City, was operated on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying 145 passengers and six crew members.
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No injuries were reported.
According to ABC News, which obtained an ATC recording, the passenger tried to open the door mid-flight and assaulted another passenger.
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United said the flight was canceled following the incident, and the airline added a replacement flight for Friday morning. Passengers were also provided overnight accommodations.
Officials have not released additional details about what led to the disturbance on board.
7News reached out to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a statement, and this is what they told us:
“United Airlines Flight 1551 landed safely at Washington Dulles International Airport around 8:30 p.m. local time on Thursday, May 21, after the crew reported a passenger disturbance. The flight departed from Newark Liberty International Airport and was headed to Guatemala.”
The FAA also said airlines have reported 600 unruly passenger incidents in 2026 so far.
Unruly passengers can face legal action, including criminal charges, and face civil penalties up to $43,658 per violation, the FAA said.
7News has reached out to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority (MWAA) for more information.
The investigation remains ongoing.
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