Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat as AA Flight Diverts to BWI

Arthur Lundeen, 67, was duct-taped to his seat after an outburst forced American Airlines Flight 618 to divert to Baltimore on Sept. 3.

American Airlines Flight 618 was flying from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Newark when a passenger two rows behind in first class became belligerent. According to passenger accounts reported by CNN and ABC News, Arthur Lundeen, 67, of Arizona, used racial and homophobic slurs, directed profanity at crew and passengers, hit the passenger next to him, and struck a woman who tried to intervene. Retired New Jersey police officer Juan Mejia and fellow passenger Richard Olenick stepped in after the situation turned physical. Flight attendants handed them zip ties and duct tape, and the men restrained Lundeen's wrists and secured him to his seat. The plane landed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport around 10:15 p.m. on Sept. 3.

CNN reports that duct tape and flexible handcuffs are kept on many commercial aircraft for restraining violent passengers, and recalls a 2024 case in which a passenger who tried to force open a door and injured a flight attendant was duct-taped to his seat. Olenick told CNN that the tape limited Lundeen's movement but did not stop him from pushing and resisting, and that one of the men sat on his lap for roughly 15 minutes until landing. Mejia said, per ABC News, that the goal was to restrain and control, not to hurt.

Multiple sources converge on the core timeline. The FAA said the crew reported a passenger disturbance and the flight diverted to BWI. Maryland Transportation Authority Police met the aircraft at the gate and arrested Lundeen on state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct for incidents aboard the aircraft at BWI, according to WBFF and ABC News. MDTA Police said Lundeen was cleared by paramedics for an open wound on his arm noticed during his arrest, as reported by ABC News. American Airlines said law enforcement met the aircraft, assisted with deplaning the customer, and that the flight continued to Newark, adding that it does not tolerate violence.

According to TMZ's sources, the man appeared drunk, yelled about Jesus and hell, and directed a racial slur at a Black flight attendant along with anti-gay remarks before becoming violent, hitting the passenger beside him and smashing the man's computer; a female passenger who tried to help was pushed, prompting three men to intervene. Olenick told CNN that Lundeen bit Mejia and attempted to bite him, which led the group to use duct tape, and that they deliberately avoided taping his mouth so he could breathe. Both passengers noted the timing, days before the 25th anniversary of September 11, made the episode feel especially unsettling, with Olenick saying the situation was 'pretty intense.'

The incident lands amid a persistent pattern of in-flight disruptions. CNN reports that the FAA has recorded more than 1,160 unruly passenger incidents so far this year, and that the agency can pursue fines of more than $43,000 against any passenger who assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with crew members. For airlines, the case highlights both the limits of verbal de-escalation and the reliance on on-board restraint kits and willing passengers. BWI travelers interviewed by WBFF expressed alarm at the images, with one saying she would be scared to have such a person on her flight, underscoring how viral footage shapes public perception of flight safety.

Lundeen faces state charges in Maryland, and per WBFF, court records show he was released on bail on his own recognizance, with his trial scheduled for Oct. 19 in Glen Burnie. The FBI's Baltimore field office is investigating the events aboard the aircraft and consulting with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine whether federal charges could follow, according to WBFF and TMZ. The FAA is also investigating the diversion. No federal charges have been announced, and authorities have not publicly detailed a motive for the outburst, leaving the legal picture open as the October court date approaches.