What began as a routine trip from Dallas to Newark turned into a chaotic scene midair on Thursday night when a passenger was taped to his seat following an aggressive outburst. Arthur Lundeen, a 67 year old man from Arizona, was arrested after American Airlines flight 618 was forced to make an emergency diversion to Baltimore Washington International Airport. The ordeal ended with Lundeen bound by duct tape and zip ties, courtesy of fellow travelers who stepped in to prevent the situation from escalating.
According to witnesses on board, the disruption started roughly three quarters of the way through the flight. Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer traveling with a friend, described how Lundeen became increasingly belligerent toward crew members and other passengers. Mejia reported that the man used vulgar language and racial slurs and directed particularly offensive comments toward women seated nearby. When the verbal abuse reportedly turned physical, Mejia and his companion Richard Olenick decided it was necessary to intervene for the safety of everyone on board.
Olenick explained that Mejia acted quickly to jump into the seat next to Lundeen to restrain him and contain the volatility of the moment. The duo remained with the disruptive passenger until the plane touched down in Baltimore around 10:15 p.m., where Maryland Transportation Authority Police were waiting to take him into custody. While paramedics treated Lundeen for a small open wound on his arm discovered during the arrest, police officially charged him with disorderly conduct and second degree assault.
American Airlines released a brief statement emphasizing that they have zero tolerance for violence and prioritize the security of their teams and customers above all else. Following Lundeen’s removal from the aircraft, the flight finally continued its journey to Newark. Because the primary disturbance occurred while in the air, the FBI has launched its own investigation into the incident, which remains ongoing as authorities review what happened over US airspace.