Passengers on Southwest Airlines Flight 28 in Texas were forced to deboard after a taser was found onboard the aircraft. The incident occurred on Tuesday, March 10, 2026, on a flight from William P. Hobby Airport in Houston bound for the Dallas Love Field Airport.
A sudden disruption on Southwest Flight 28
Airline passengers were already onboard the Southwest Airlines flight, preparing for takeoff, when a crew member discovered the taser and raised the alarm about the security issue.
In response, staff from the airline contacted The Transport Security Administration (TSA) and all passengers were removed from the flight. They were then escorted back into the airport by law enforcement officers and Houston Airport System staff.
Following the incident, the passengers were re-screened and their carry-on bags were checked again per the request of the flight’s captain.
Regarding the incident and the decision to undertake additional security screening, a spokesperson for Southwest Airlines told PEOPLE magazine:
“Nothing is more important to Southwest than the Safety of our Customers and Employees.”
The flight later reboarded and arrived at Dallas without incident after a delay of approximately two and a half hours. Passengers from the Southwest Airlines Flight 28, who took connecting flights at Dallas Love Field Airport, reported that they were re-screened and searched again before boarding their next plane.
The aftermath
After further investigation, it was later determined that the taser was a civilian model taser and did not belong to a member of law enforcement.
Ultimately, no charges were filed regarding the incident. It has not yet been determined how the taser was overlooked during TSA screening, and the airport has yet to comment on the issue.
This event occured during a strained period for William P. Hobby Airport, as a funding lapse due to to the partial U.S. government shutdown has left TSA workers without regular pay checks. At the airport, hours-long delays were reported at security during the busy spring break period.
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