A United Airlines flight from New Jersey to New Orleans turned into a midair nightmare ... after a passenger allegedly claimed he had a bomb and tried to storm the cockpit, prompting pilots to send out a hijacking alert.

According to aviation content creator Aaron Rheins, United Flight 2174 was traveling from Newark Liberty International Airport to New Orleans Monday night when pilots alerted Air Traffic Control to a possible cockpit breach.

The Daily Mail reports Rheins reviewed air traffic control audio indicating a passenger claimed to have a bomb in his backpack ... triggering a hijacking alert.

The pilots reportedly signaled a possible hijacking before the crew got the situation under control, moving the passenger to the back of the plane.

The flight landed safely in New Orleans, where authorities arrested Rony Gomez-Alberto on charges of communicating false information about planned arson and terrorizing.