A flight from Newark Liberty International Airport was thrown into chaos this week after two young passengers were allegedly removed over a threatening social media post, prompting a furious reaction from fellow travellers and causing significant delays.
Confrontation and Removal Caught on Camera
The incident, captured in footage uploaded to TikTok on December 21, shows several law enforcement officers questioning an unnamed female passenger. The alleged threat was made prior to the aircraft's departure, though the exact nature of the comment remains unclear.
In the video, a man described as the woman's brother can be seen laughing during the police interrogation. This reaction sparked a profanity-laden tirade from another passenger filming the aftermath.
"What the f*** are you laughing about? You think this is f***ing funny? You piece of s***," the man shouted. As the brother walked away chuckling, the filmer added: "Yeah, yeah, f***ing really funny."
Federal Agencies Involved in Airport Security Incident
The full video shows officers grilling the woman, asking her "exactly why you posted this" and what she was supposedly "joking" about. One officer emphasised the severity of the situation, questioning both the woman and her mother, who was present.
"Do you know the seriousness of that?" the officer asked. Turning to the mother, he repeated: "Mom, do you know the seriousness of that?" to which she replied, "Yeah, I know."
The officer then informed the family that the threat had been "picked up by multiple federal agencies." He stated they would be moved aside for further interviews, leading to their removal from the flight.
Travel Plans Derailed for Hundreds of Passengers
The fallout from the incident caused major disruptions for other travellers. One passenger on the affected flight took to social media to express their frustration, stating they were "STILL in an airport trying to get to my destination because we were so delayed."
They added: "I'm really glad it didn't end up being a serious threat but I'm so angry that she derailed so many peoples plans for a video."
Another user claimed TikTok had flagged the woman's video and "sent it immediately to the FBI & they got her off the plane." They commented on the swift response, noting it was a "lesson to everyone they are watching everything we do on our phones."
The incident compounded existing travel woes at Newark. The Port Authority estimated that roughly 5.7 million passengers would travel through its New York and New Jersey airports, including Newark, over the holiday period. The airport, which handles about 1,200 flights daily, had already experienced a ground stoppage due to staffing issues on Wednesday. Further disruptions were anticipated as a fast-moving winter storm approached the East Coast.
The Daily Mail has contacted the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, FBI Newark, and TikTok for comment.
