JetBlue Flight 1191, an Airbus A321 operating from Boston (BOS) to Tampa (TPA) on 9 November 2025, was forced to return to Boston after a passenger was allegedly caught smoking marijuana inside the aircraft lavatory. The situation escalated mid-flight, prompting the crew to declare an emergency and conduct an overweight landing.
The aircraft had climbed to 34,000 feet, approximately 30 miles west of New York, when the cockpit informed New York ATC of a “customer disturbance.”
According to publicly circulated ATC audio via You Can See ATC, the captain informed the ATC:
“We had a customer vape in the lav… yeah, smoking marijuana in the lav. We’d just like to turn to Boston.”
Emergency Return and Overweight Landing
Although the initial report to ATC described the issue as a disturbance, the crew declared an emergency during the descent and clarified the nature of the situation:
“We had a security issue with a passenger, mostly a disturbance. They were smoking marijuana. Our crew inhaled it. And now we are overweight landing. So that’s the main reason for the emergency”
While coordinating the diversion, Boston Approach requested the passenger’s seat number, which is a standard step for law enforcement readiness:
ATC: “And the seat number of the person in question?”
Crew: “Yes, sir — 1F.”
The A321 was cleared direct to Boston and landed safely on Runway 15R. Because the aircraft had only recently departed and had not burned sufficient fuel, it conducted an overweight landing.
As of publication, there has been no official confirmation of an arrest from JetBlue, the FAA, or Boston-area law enforcement.
In-Flight Smoking or Vaping Is a Federal Offense
Under U.S. law, smoking of any kind on a commercial aircraft is strictly prohibited:
- 14 C.F.R. Part 252 implements the federal ban on smoking aboard aircraft for U.S. and foreign carriers, including definitions that cover e-cigarettes and any device that produces “smoke, mist, vapor, or aerosol.”
- 49 U.S.C. § 41706 explicitly prohibits smoking and the use of e-cigarettes on all U.S. commercial flights.
- Marijuana possession or use on an aircraft falls under federal aviation jurisdiction, regardless of state legalization.
- Violations can result in civil penalties of up to USD 37,000 per offense, and in serious cases, criminal referral to the Department of Justice.
Interfering with a flight crew, which may apply when disruptive behavior forces a diversion, carries even more severe consequences.
The incident forced the A321 to return to Boston, required an overweight-landing inspection, and caused a lengthy delay for all passengers on board.
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