Man accused of threatening to hijack United flight says it was a drunken joke
A New Jersey man accused of threatening by text to hijack a United Airlines flight says he had been drinking and intended the message as poorly worded banter with a coworker. The crew returned the plane to Las Vegas after a flight attendant saw the message, prompting a security response.
Dante Milne, 25, was travelling on a Boeing 737 with 150 passengers and six crew members from Las Vegas to Newark. He told investigators he had consumed a beer and several shots before boarding, denied intending to take control of the aircraft and apologised. Charged with making threats or conveying false information concerning terrorism, he was released on $10,000 bail and intends to plead not guilty; he is due back in court on 5 January.
In short
- A text threat prompted a United flight to return to Las Vegas.
- Milne says it was drunken banter and denies intending a hijacking.
- He faces a terrorism-related charge and is due in court on 5 January.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
A reasonable case for treating the message as a serious threat is that references to hijacking on a passenger flight can require an immediate response, because crew and authorities cannot safely assume they are a joke. Turning the aircraft back and investigating prioritised the safety of passengers and crew, while accountability may deter similarly alarming messages.
The case against
A reasonable case for Milne is that, as he says, the text was drunken, poorly worded banter rather than a genuine plan, and he denied intending to take control of the aircraft and apologised. If the evidence supports that account, criminal punishment for a reckless joke could be disproportionate; his not guilty plea leaves that question for the court to assess.