Southwest flight diverted to Atlanta after passenger’s Ramadan prayer timer set off alarm

Passengers aboard the Southwest flight said they were told to prepare for landing when the plane was rerouted to Atlanta on Friday night.

One passenger, Sarah Porter, told CBS Evening News that many people on the flight were initially confused about what was happening. “The first time we realized there might be someone dangerous on the plane was when a team boarded with weapons drawn,” he said.

A Southwest flight traveling from Nashville to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, was forced to make an emergency landing in Atlanta on Friday due to a passenger acting suspiciously. pic.twitter.com/WRh6JBJ7U3

– CBS Evening News with Tony Dokoupil (@CBSeveningNews) March 8, 2026

Why did the plane divert?

According to communications with Air Traffic Control, the captain reported that a man on board was acting in a worrying manner. “He had a timer that went off every 10 minutes, he spoke foreign languages ​​and he was worried about his suitcases,” the captain said.

Video from the scene shows officers boarding the plane and escorting a passenger off the plane.

What did the FBI say?

In a statement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the nation’s primary intelligence and law enforcement agency under the U.S. Department of Justice, said agents along with the Atlanta Police Department (APD) questioned the individual after landing. Authorities determined there was no credible threat and no charges will be filed.

Another passenger, Julie Porter, while speaking to CBS Evening News said the situation was disturbing but understandable. “With everything going on in the world right now, I feel like you can’t be too careful in situations like this,” he said.

The airline calls all passengers.

A Southwest Airlines spokesperson said passengers were rebooked to continue to their intended destinations and the airline apologized for the disruption caused by the diversion.

according to NBC 6 South FloridaSouthwest Airlines provided the following statement:

“As background, the customer in question was removed by Atlanta Police, in case you would like to check with them for additional details. The customers were rebooked on another plane (same flight number, 2094) and continued to Ft. Lauderdale, arriving just before 3:30 a.m. We have contacted all customers to apologize for the situation.”

Ramadan prayer timer likely at center of incident

NBC 6 South Florida reported that Southwest Airlines Flight 2094 was diverted to Atlanta due to a misunderstanding involving a passenger’s “Ramadan prayer routine.” “NBC News confirmed that the incident was a misunderstanding and that the passenger had set a timer on his phone so he could pray for Ramadan,” the report said.