United Airlines passenger allegedly assaulted flight attendant, tried to get into cockpit

U.S. newsUnited Airlines passenger allegedly assaulted flight attendant, tried to get into cockpit The 48-year-old man was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation upon arriving at Newark airport Saturday evening. Listen to this article with a free account00:0000:00A United Airlines aircraft. Nicolas Economou / NurPhoto via Getty Images file ShareAdd NBC News to GoogleMay 3, 2026, 1:39 PM EDTBy Doha MadaniA United Airlines passenger allegedly attacked a crew member and attempted to access the cockpit before being removed by police Saturday evening at Newark Liberty International Airport.Subscribe to read this story ad-free Get unlimited access to ad-free articles and exclusive content.The 48-year-old man, whose name was not released, was detained and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation, according to the Port Authority Police Department. A second individual aboard declined medical attention; no other injuries were reported. Police provided no further details, but air traffic control audio captured United Flight 1837 requesting an emergency vehicle upon its arrival at Newark."A gentleman just attacked one of flight tenants and trying to open the forward main cabin door," a pilot said in the recording. "Oh my god," the controller responded."Trying to access the flight deck," the pilot continued. United Airlines confirmed that law enforcement assisted flight 1837 in handling an unruly passenger Saturday. In a statement, the airline said it was grateful to the flight crew for their efforts to "ensure the safety of fellow crew members and our customers." The Federal Aviation Administration said it would investigate the incident. The flight had arrived in New Jersey from the Dominican Republic at approximately 6:25 p.m Saturday. Nearly 500 unruly-passenger reports have been filed so far this year; FAA data shows 110 of those came in April alone.Just last week, video surfaced of a man attempting to open a cabin door aboard a Delta flight while...