An Alaska Airlines flight returned to the gate following a reported “passenger disturbance,” according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The incident took place while the plane was taxiing for departure on Aug. 9 at Miami International Airport. The flight was bound for Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, the FAA told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.
A pilot can be heard alerting air traffic controllers that the crew had set the parking brake in audio from the ATC app. “We want to go into a lockdown protocol,” the pilot said. “We’re shutting down our engine.”
The pilot noted that flight attendants had “received threats from customers onboard the aircraft,” and requested that controllers contact law enforcement.
Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office
Airport District deputies responded around 6:40 p.m. Passengers temporarily deplaned during the investigation in “an abundance of caution.”
“The investigation determined there was no credible threat,” the Miami-Dade Sheriff’s Office told USA TODAY in an emailed statement. “The two individuals involved were rebooked on another flight.”
The plane “was cleared, passengers were permitted to reboard, and the flight continued without further incident,” the statement continued. The FAA also said it will investigate.
Alaska Airlines confirmed that the passengers "were disruptive during the aircraft’s taxi," but did not share additional specifics about their conduct. The customers were temporarily banned from the airline.
"The safety of our guests and crew is always our highest priority," Alaska said in an email. "We appreciate our employees' professionalism and apologize to our guests for the delay and inconvenience."
There have been 1,014 reports of unruly passengers so far in 2026, according to FAA data. The agency received 1,621 reports in 2025, down from 2,096 the year before.
Nathan Diller is a consumer travel reporter for USA TODAY based in Nashville. You can reach him at ndiller@usatoday.com.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Alaska Airlines flight deplanes after reported threats from passengers
