Photo: DANIEL SLIM / AFP / Getty Images
An Alaska Airlines flight preparing to depart Miami International Airport for Seattle was suddenly locked down on Sunday evening after two passengers allegedly threatened to take over the plane. The jet, operating as Flight 305, had just started taxiing around 6:40 p.m. when the pilots notified air traffic control of a “customer disturbance on board” and requested to initiate a lockdown protocol.
The pilots set the parking brake and shut down the engines while waiting for law enforcement to respond. "The flight attendants have received threats from customers on board the aircraft… the last thing we heard from the flight attendant is that we had a customer threat to take the aircraft over," a pilot reported to the tower.
All passengers were deplaned out of an abundance of caution while Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office deputies investigated. According to a statement from the sheriff’s office, authorities found no credible threat after interviewing those involved. The two flagged passengers were rebooked on another flight, and the rest of the travelers were eventually allowed to reboard.
Alaska Airlines said in a statement that the disruptive passengers were temporarily banned from flying with the airline, adding, "The safety of our guests and crew is always our highest priority. We appreciate our employees’ professionalism and apologize to our guests for the delay and inconvenience."
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) will investigate the incident. FAA data shows there have been over 1,000 unruly passenger incidents so far in 2026, a number that remains higher than pre-pandemic levels but lower than the record highs of recent years.
Following the investigation, the flight continued on to Seattle without further issue. No criminal charges have been announced, but the case remains under FAA review.