United passenger accused of hijacking threat plans to plead not guilty

A text from a passenger threatening to hijack a United Airlines flight prompted the aircraft to return to Las Vegas, where the man was arrested. His lawyer says Dante Milne, 25, plans to plead not guilty; Milne told police the message was drunken workplace banter and that he had no intention of harming anyone.

A flight attendant saw the message on another passenger’s phone and alerted the crew, who followed cockpit security procedures before the captain turned back. Milne said he had drunk beer and shots before boarding the flight to Newark, and later expressed remorse. The other 149 passengers stayed overnight in Las Vegas after the crew exceeded its operating hours; the flight left the next morning.