RIP: American Airlines flight diverted after passenger snoops on seatmate’s condolence message, spreads panic

An American Airlines flight had to be diverted back to Puerto Rico after a passenger spread panic that there was a threat to the flight. The passenger saw a co-passenger’s text message that read ‘RIP’ (Rest In Peace). The woman told the crew she had read the ominous acronym RIP on a fellow passenger’s mobile phone and assumed it meant the plane was doomed. The crew member on board AA 1847 immediately alerted the cockpit and the pilot began emergency procedures, which said they should land at the next opportunity.“American Airlines flight 1847, with service from San Juan (SJU) to Dallas Fort Worth (DFW), returned to SJU shortly after departure due to a possible security concern,” a spokesperson for American Airlines told media. “The flight landed safely at SJU, and law enforcement inspected and cleared the aircraft to re-depart. Safety and security are our top priorities and we apologize to our customers for the inconvenience,” the statement added.American Airlines flight 1847 took off from Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Isla Verde. The flight was headed for Dallas but ultimately returned to San Juan amid the perceived threat about 30 minutes after taking off.The passenger who received the RIP message lost a relative the day before and the message was in connection with the tragedy. “It was a mix-up that was handled in accordance with safety protocols. There was no real threat to the flight or its passengers,” Nelman Nevárez, Aerostar’s director of operations, told Primera Hora in an interview translated from Spanish to English.