An American Airlines flight headed for Newark turned into the kind of travel nightmare nobody expects when boarding a plane, complete with an emergency diversion, an allegedly violent passenger, and fellow travelers using duct tape and zip ties to keep the situation under control.
American Airlines Flight 618 departed Dallas-Fort Worth on Thursday, September 3, bound for Newark. Instead of an uneventful trip, passengers and crew reportedly found themselves dealing with 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen of Arizona after authorities say a serious disturbance erupted aboard the aircraft.
According to reports citing witnesses, the trouble started roughly two hours into the flight. Lundeen allegedly began yelling at the passenger seated beside him and reportedly used racist and homophobic slurs during the confrontation.
The situation allegedly escalated beyond shouting.
Witnesses said Lundeen struck another passenger and pushed a woman who attempted to intervene. At that point, several passengers apparently decided they had seen enough.
Three male passengers reportedly stepped in to help the flight crew restrain Lundeen. Flight attendants supplied duct tape and zip ties, which were used to secure him to his seat.
Talk about a lousy day to discover the people sitting a few rows away aren’t interested in tolerating airborne chaos.
Video from the flight shows passengers working to restrain the man. Images circulating afterward reportedly showed Lundeen secured in his seat with tape around his torso and head.
Former law enforcement officer Juan Mejia and his friend Richard Olenick were among the passengers who intervened. Mejia later explained that their objective was to restrain Lundeen and prevent the confrontation from escalating further.
That’s an important point. Nobody aboard a commercial aircraft should have to play security guard at 30,000 feet. But when an allegedly violent passenger starts getting physical, waiting around and hoping everything magically works itself out isn’t much of a plan either.
The flight diverted to Baltimore-Washington International Airport, where police were waiting.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police arrested Lundeen after the plane landed. Authorities charged him with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault in connection with alleged incidents aboard the aircraft at BWI.
Police also noticed an open wound on Lundeen’s arm during his arrest, and paramedics reportedly evaluated and cleared him.
Meanwhile, the FBI is investigating the alleged conduct that occurred while the aircraft was in flight. The FAA is also reportedly investigating the incident.
American Airlines confirmed that Flight 618 diverted because of a disruptive customer and thanked its employees for their professionalism and passengers for their understanding. The airline also emphasized that violence is unacceptable and passenger safety remains its priority.
After Lundeen was removed, Flight 618 eventually continued to Newark.
The passengers aboard got where they were going, but only after an unscheduled landing, police intervention and several travelers helping the crew restrain a man accused of turning an ordinary flight into complete chaos.
The allegations against Lundeen remain just that, allegations. He is entitled to the presumption of innocence, and the FBI’s investigation remains ongoing.
Still, the episode is another reminder of just how quickly trouble aboard an aircraft can become everyone’s problem. There isn’t exactly another room to walk into when somebody allegedly becomes violent several miles above the ground.
Fortunately for this flight, several passengers were willing to get out of their seats and help the crew bring the situation under control.
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