United Flight 2174 landed safely in New Orleans on Monday night after a passenger said he had a bomb and tried to rush the cockpit. The pilots sent the highest hijack alert there is.
Here’s what we know. The flight left Newark around 9:30 p.m. on November 9. It had 46 passengers and six crew on board. It was a Boeing 737 MAX 9. The plane landed around 11:15 p.m. Deputies met it when it got in, and they arrested the passenger. No bomb was found. No one was hurt.
He’s 34. Rony Alexander Gomez-Alberto. Police say he’s from Honduras and lives in the Bronx. Local records say he is charged with communicating false information of planned arson and terrorizing. DHS describes it a little differently, as bomb threat, terroristic threats and disorderly conduct. He’s being held without bond in Jefferson Parish. These are charges, not convictions.
Here’s how we got here.
The timeline, in order
September 2011: Border Patrol arrests Gomez-Alberto after illegal entry near El Indio, Texas. He got deported, according to DHS, via Fox News Digital.
October 2014: Border Patrol arrests him again after illegal entry near Columbus, New Mexico. He got deported a second time, according to DHS.
2019: He got arrested a third time near San Ysidro, California, after another illegal entry, according to DHS.
January 2020: ICE lets him go after a judge orders his release while his case is pending, according to DHS, as reported by the New York Post.
After 2019: An immigration judge grants him asylum after he says he fears being killed back home because he’s transgender, according to DHS, via Fox News. DHS shared part of the application where he wrote he was afraid he would be killed, quote, either by private citizens or the police, because he is transgender. The New York Post also reported the asylum grant.
Monday, November 9, around 9:30 p.m.: United Flight 2174 leaves Newark for New Orleans.
Monday night, in the air: A passenger says he has a bomb and tries to get into the cockpit. The pilots send a Level 4 hijack alert. The crew gets him to the back of the plane, according to air traffic control audio reported by the New York Post.
Monday night, around 11:15 p.m.: The plane lands safely in New Orleans. Jefferson Parish deputies arrest Gomez-Alberto.
Tuesday, November 10: ICE lodges a detainer with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office, according to DHS.
November 12: DHS confirms the asylum detail to Fox News, and the story takes off online.
So, to recap: deported in 2011, deported in 2014, released in 2020, and then somehow on a plane in 2026.
Why it matters now
Look, here’s the thing. DHS Secretary Markwayne Mullin put out a statement, as reported by Fox News. He said, quote, This criminal illegal alien attempted to storm the cockpit, hijack a plane and claimed he had a bomb. Thanks to law enforcement, he is now behind bars. He also said the weak asylum system let him game the system. That last part is DHS talking, not a court finding.
And that leads to the question everyone is asking. How did a guy with that history get on a domestic flight at all? Fox News, the New York Post, and a lot of people online are asking about TSA and Real ID, and what ID he showed. Right now, officials haven’t said what ID he used. There’s no public proof he used a fake ID or had no ID. So that question is still open.
For the people on Flight 2174, the scare ended on the ground. For everyone else, DHS is using this case to make a bigger point about who gets to move around freely in the US, and who a judge once let stay.
He was deported twice. The third time was apparently the charm, for getting on a plane.
Watch
WWL-TV (CBS New Orleans) on the arrest at MSY:
Sources
- Fox News Digital, Twice-deported illegal immigrant accused of trying to storm United cockpit, threatening bomb: DHS
- Fox News Digital via Pagegoo, United Airlines cockpit breach suspect was granted asylum as transgender: DHS
- New York Post, United flight sends out hijack alert after passenger claiming to have bomb attempts to storm cockpit
- New York Post, Twice-deported illegal immigrant ID’d as United flier accused of bomb, hijack threat, and was sprung by judge after ICE bust
- New York Post, Illegal migrant who tried to hijack a United Airlines flight claimed to be trans and HIV positive, and was granted asylum
- Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office via NOLA.com, and local affiliate FOX 8, as reported by the New York Post.
- United Airlines statement, as reported by Fox News Digital and the New York Post.
- Air traffic control audio, as reported by the New York Post.
All allegations are attributed. No bomb was found.
