ARLINGTON, Va. – A Chicago-bound flight from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (search) was evacuated Saturday after suspicious behavior by a passenger, officials said Sunday.
Passengers were boarding United Airlines Flight 627 before 6 p.m. when a Middle Eastern man abruptly got off the plane, airport and Transportation Security Administration (search) officials said.
The Airbus A320 and the airport concourse were evacuated and all passengers were rescreened, said Amy Von Walter, a TSA spokeswoman.
The passenger was found, but couldn't be questioned immediately because he didn't speak English, Von Walter said.
He was turned over to the FBI (search), who questioned and released him after 10 p.m., said Debbie Weierman, Washington field office spokeswoman. Weierman said the man had decided to change his flight plans for personal reasons.
The plane, carrying 74 passengers, took off more than two hours late and landed safely in Chicago, an airline spokesman said.
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