A dramatic scene unfolded aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark. A 67-year-old passenger, accused of hurling racist and homophobic insults before physically assaulting several people, had to be restrained by fellow passengers and immobilized in his seat with zip ties and several meters of duct tape. The incident forced the crew to divert the plane to Baltimore, where the man was arrested.
The incident occurred on September 3rd aboard American Airlines flight AA618, departing from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport bound for Newark, New Jersey . This is another particularly dramatic incident in civil aviation, coming just months after a passenger attacked two teenagers with a fork mid-flight between Chicago and Frankfurt.
Racist and homophobic insults before the violence escalated
The passenger in question has been identified by authorities as Arthur Lundeen, 67, a resident of Arizona. According to witness statements from other passengers on board, his behavior changed abruptly during the flight. He reportedly began shouting, using vulgar language, and uttering racist and homophobic slurs.
A Black flight attendant was reportedly subjected to a racist insult while attempting to restore order. Homophobic remarks were also allegedly made in the cabin. The situation then escalated into a physical altercation.
Juan Mejia, a former New Jersey police officer who was on board, recounted seeing the man attack the passenger sitting next to him. "All of a sudden, it went from calm to shouting and chaos ," he explained. He claims to have seen the passenger put his hands around his neighbor's neck and assault him.
Passengers stand up to restrain him
Faced with the escalating situation, several passengers decided to help the flight crew. Juan Mejia and Richard Olenick, seated two rows in front of the passenger, intervened to restrain him.
The crew provided them with cable ties to restrain his wrists. But faced with the difficulty of controlling the man, duct tape was also used. The passenger was ultimately literally strapped to his seat. Footage taken inside the plane shows several wraps of tape around his torso and arms, as well as around his head.
Juan Mejia explained that the goal was not to harm the passenger but solely to neutralize the danger: "We were not trying to injure this individual. Rather, we were trying to restrain and control him so that the situation would not escalate further."
A collective intervention that reminds us how quickly a situation can change on board an aircraft, as in that other flight forced to be diverted after an attack in mid-air.
The flight was urgently diverted to Baltimore
The captain ultimately decided to change his route and divert to Baltimore- Washington Thurgood Marshall International Airport. The aircraft arrived there at approximately 22:15 PM.
Law enforcement officers boarded the aircraft after landing and apprehended Arthur Lundeen. An open wound was found on his arm at the time of his arrest, and he was examined by paramedics. Flight AA618 then resumed its journey to Newark after the passenger was removed from the plane.
These diversions remain exceptional but can be decided when onboard safety requires it. Last February, for example, an Air Corsica flight was diverted to Ajaccio for a completely different reason: gusts reaching 80 km/h.
Arthur Lundeen is being prosecuted; the FBI opens an investigation.
Arthur Lundeen has been charged in Maryland with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault. But the case may not end with these charges. The events that occurred during the flight are also under investigation by the FBI.
Federal agents have begun collecting witness statements to establish precisely what happened on the aircraft. The FBI will then consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine whether federal charges should also be filed.
American Airlines, for its part, reiterated its zero-tolerance policy regarding violence on board: "The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority, and we do not tolerate violence." The airline also thanked its staff for their professionalism and the passengers for their cooperation.
