Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat After Violent Outburst Diverts Flight
An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore Wednesday night after a passenger became violent midflight, prompting three other passengers to restrain him in his first-class seat with duct tape and zip ties until police could take him into custody. The diversion forced the rest of the passengers aboard Flight 618 to sit through an unplanned landing while the disruptive man remained bound to his seat under the watch of the men who had subdued him, adding hours to what began as a routine cross-country trip.
What Happened Onboard
About two hours into Flight 618 on September 3, a passenger later identified as 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen of Arizona began yelling religious statements about salvation and damnation at the man seated beside him, according to witnesses aboard the flight.
When a flight attendant intervened, Lundeen responded with slurs and vulgar language directed at her, according to fellow passenger and retired law enforcement officer Juan Mejia. The situation escalated quickly from there: Lundeen became physically violent, placing his hands around the neck of the passenger sitting next to him, and pushed away a woman who tried to step in. Mejia described the shift, saying, "Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos."
Passengers Step In
Mejia and two other male passengers, including Richard Olenick, moved to restrain Lundeen after he bit one passenger and attempted to bite another. Flight crew handed the men duct tape and zip ties, which they used to secure Lundeen to his first-class seat, including his hands and head, as he continued to resist.
Olenick said the group deliberately avoided taping over Lundeen's mouth "so he wouldn't have issues breathing" while he remained restrained. Mejia said their goal was simply "to restrain him and control him, so it didn't escalate to go any further." Lundeen remained restrained for the rest of the flight while the crew arranged to divert the aircraft.
Diversion and Arrest
The plane landed at Baltimore/Washington International Airport around 10:15 p.m., where Maryland Transportation Authority Police boarded and took Lundeen into custody.
He was charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault in connection with the incident, both state-level charges filed by Maryland authorities with jurisdiction over the airport where the flight landed. American Airlines said in a statement that "the safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority" and that the airline does "not tolerate violence" aboard its flights.
Investigation Continues
The FBI is investigating the incident and consulting with the U.S. Attorney's Office over potential federal charges, since interfering with a flight crew or assaulting passengers aboard an aircraft in flight can fall under federal jurisdiction in addition to any state charges.
Unruly-passenger incidents have become a recurring problem for airlines and their crews in recent years, ranging from mid-flight altercations to, in one recent case, a Lufthansa flight's diversion after a passenger allegedly attacked two teenagers with a metal fork. In cases like this one, where law enforcement is hours away at cruising altitude, crew members have increasingly turned to fellow passengers for help physically restraining a disruptive traveler until the plane can land, using whatever supplies, like tape and plastic ties, happen to be on hand.
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