'Security-related situation' grounds flight to vacation hot spot, passengers confined for hours

JetBlue passengers on a flight from Boston to Aruba were stuck on a plane for hours Monday while authorities investigated a "security-related situation."

Frustrated passengers were kept onboard for nearly two hours after landing, the station said.

One traveler told the outlet that law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft and checked passports individually. Then they were allowed to exit row by row. A K9 unit was also brought in to inspect luggage.

"The flight was met by law enforcement who conducted additional screenings and customers have since disembarked," the airline said.

A security issue on a JetBlue flight briefly shut down Aruba’s airport Monday, with passengers kept onboard for nearly two hours after landing. Getty Images

"The safety of our customers and crew members is JetBlue’s first priority, and further inquiries should be directed to law enforcement."

During the incident, airport operations were temporarily suspended. In notices shared on social media, Queen Beatrix International Airport said access to the terminal was restricted while authorities assessed the situation.

About an hour later, the airport issued an update stating that operations would remain suspended for another 90 minutes or so.

A passenger said officers boarded the plane, checked passports individually and brought in a K9 unit, such as the one shown above, to inspect luggage. iStock

Travelers inside the terminal were instructed to remain there — while those who had not yet entered were asked to wait outside until passenger processing resumed.

On social media, some passengers reported disruptions to connecting travel plans as a result of the delay, including missed or rerouted flights.