United Airlines flight bound for Netherlands diverted to Chicago after passenger loses it over meal option

A “passenger disturbance” reportedly connected to the in-flight meal prompted a United Airlines plane to make a detour to Chicago on its journey to the capital of the Netherlands.

A spokesperson for Chicago-based airline told FOX Business that United Flight 20 “diverted to O’Hare International Airport” in the Windy City after a “passenger disturbance” occurred on the overseas-bound flight. The flight took place Sunday, departing from the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston, according to the United spokesperson.

Citing tweets from a Twitter user who said another traveler on the plane gave him information, media outlets reported the unavailability of a particular meal option served as the catalyst for the passenger to allegedly cause a disturbance. The traveler purportedly may also have been drinking, according to reports.

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The plane flew a few laps in the airspace near O’Hare prior to landing, a move it made to lower its fuel level, according to air traffic tracking website Flightradar24. 

The United spokesperson told FOX Business that “law enforcement met the aircraft at the gate and escorted the passenger off the plane,” with the flight proceeding to Amsterdam after that.

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Flightradar24 reported United Flight 20 spent a total of “just under” two hours at the Windy City airport. 

2023 so far has seen roughly 980 reports of unruly passengers on flights in the U.S., according to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). 

Last year, the FAA said it fielded 2,455 unruly passenger reports and doled out about $8.4 million in fines for those that received enforcement action. That marked a 59% drop from 2021 when reports reached over 5,970, the highest number in recent years, according to the agency.

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The then-acting FAA administrator, Billy Noel, said in April that the agency has “zero tolerance for unruly behavior,” a policy it made permanent in 2022 to help address the ongoing issue.

Daniella Genovese contributed to this report.