Passenger tried opening door on United 1551

United Airlines Flight 1551 diverted to Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday night after a passenger allegedly tried to open a cabin door during the flight from Newark to Guatemala City. United said the Boeing 737 MAX 8 landed safely and was met by law enforcement after what the airline described as an onboard disruption. NBC News reported, citing air traffic control audio and the airline, that the passenger also assaulted another traveler. The flight was canceled after landing, and United said it arranged overnight accommodations and a replacement departure for Friday morning. ### Which flight was involved, and where did it land? United Flight 1551 was operating from Newark Liberty International Airport to Guatemala City when it diverted to Dulles in northern Virginia, according to United and local NBC reporting. NBC New York reported the flight was scheduled to leave Newark around 7 p.m. and landed at Dulles about five hours later. (nbcnewyork.com) The aircraft was a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying 145 passengers and six crew members, United told local outlets. Fox 5 DC reported that no injuries were reported, while NBC New York said the passenger involved was taken into custody after landing. ### What do authorities and the crew say happened in the air? (nbcnewyork.com) NBC News reported that a passenger allegedly tried to open a cabin door at 36,000 feet, prompting the diversion. NBC New York, citing air traffic control communications, reported confusion on the radio over which door was involved before someone identified it as door 2L, the front-left passenger cabin door. NBC News also reported that the passenger assaulted another traveler onboard. NBC New York said the man was said to have attacked another passenger near the door he allegedly tried to open, though the extent of that traveler’s injuries was not immediately known. (nbcnews.com) ### Who met the plane after the diversion? Federal law enforcement officers met the aircraft on arrival at Dulles, NBC New York reported. WUSA9 reported that the FBI confirmed agents responded at the airport but did not provide additional details. Fox 5 DC reported that the unruly passenger was met by law enforcement after the diversion. (nbcnews.com) United did not publicly identify the passenger in the reports reviewed, and the available accounts did not say by Saturday whether charges had been filed. ### What happened to the other passengers? (nbcnewyork.com) United said the flight was canceled after landing at Dulles and that a replacement flight was scheduled for Friday morning. The airline also said customers were provided overnight accommodations. WUSA9 reported that passengers who had been headed to Guatemala City remained at Dulles after the diversion. (fox5dc.com) NBC New York likewise reported that the replacement flight was added for Friday morning after the Thursday night incident. ### What is still not clear? The FBI said only that agents responded at Dulles, according to WUSA9, and did not release further information about the passenger or the investigation. United, in statements carried by local outlets, described the episode as an onboard disruption and said the aircraft landed safely. (wusa9.com) As of the reports published on May 22 and May 23, no public filing reviewed in this reporting identified the passenger, detailed any injuries, or set out any court appearance. The next concrete step publicly disclosed by United was the replacement Flight 1551 departure on Friday morning for affected passengers. (nbcnewyork.com) (wusa9.com)