56 Bear Fans, Fueled by Alcohol, Grounded by Airline in Chicago

United Airlines canceled a flight from Chicago to Florida for 147 passengers after more than 50 Chicago Bears fans passed around liquor and refused to take their seats before takeoff, authorities said Saturday.

Three people were charged with disorderly conduct.

It was the second time in two weeks that police have had to arrest rowdy Bear fans at O’Hare International Airport.

The 56 fans were traveling as a group to Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., for Monday night’s game between the Bears and the Miami Dolphins.

United canceled Flight 976 late Friday after members of the group began passing around a bottle of liquor and refused repeated requests to sit down, United spokesman Tom Germuska said.

“They had been informed that they were not going to be served any liquor aboard the plane because of their condition,” Germuska said. “They all came from the same saloon.”

After the flight was canceled, three men were arrested on disorderly conduct charges for arguing with police and United officials at a ticket counter, police Capt. William Hanhardt said.

“They were making threats and so they were arrested,” he said.