United Flight To Rome Returns After Passenger's Laptop Fell Into Cargo Hold

A United Airlines Boeing 767 scheduled to fly from Washington Dulles International Airport (IAD) to Rome Fiumicino Airport (FCO) returned to Washington after a passenger's laptop dropped through the passenger cabin into the cargo bay. As the laptop had a lithium-ion battery, its unattended presence in the cargo hold represented a credible threat to safety.

While commercial flights have been diverted due to passenger items being lost or wedged in a seat, an item dropping through into the cargo hold might be a first. But the pilots have been praised for their decision to put safety first, with passengers arriving in Rome safely at a delay of five hours.

United Flight Diverts After Laptop Drops Into Cargo Hold

On October 15, a United Airlines Boeing 767-400ER operating Fli