United Express passengers evacuated in Houston after smoke warning

Passengers travelling from Houston to Atlanta on United Express flight UA6153 were evacuated before take-off on Saturday 24 October 2026 after a smoke warning prompted an emergency response. The flight, operated by Mesa Airlines, had been due to depart George Bush Intercontinental Airport at 7.20am from Terminal E. Firefighters attended, although the accounts available do not establish that an onboard fire broke out.

A passenger interviewed by Houston broadcaster KPRC 2 described smoke entering the cabin as the aircraft taxied. The account provides a passenger’s observation of the incident, but does not establish where the smoke originated or what triggered the warning.

Mesa Airlines described the evacuation as precautionary after a sensor indicated smoke shortly after the aircraft pushed back. In a statement reported by ABC13 Houston, the carrier said passengers and crew exited safely and that no injuries were reported. Video obtained by the broadcaster showed evacuation slides deployed on the Embraer E175 as emergency crews responded. Those details establish how the evacuation was carried out, but not what triggered the warning.

Mesa told ABC13 that passengers were transferred to another aircraft to complete the flight. The broadcaster, citing FlightAware, reported that they reached Atlanta approximately three hours behind schedule. The number of passengers aboard and the cause of the smoke indication have not been established publicly.

Mesa operated UA6153 under the United Express brand. Its account confirms a precautionary evacuation, but leaves the cause of the warning unresolved.

Sources: KTRH, 24 October 2026; KPRC 2, 24 October 2026; ABC13 Houston, 24 October 2026.