Chaos erupted aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark when an allegedly unruly passenger began hurling slurs, became violent and ultimately had to be duct-taped and zip-tied to his first-class seat.
The frightening incident unfolded Thursday night aboard American Airlines Flight 618, which had departed Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and was headed to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey.
The passenger was later identified by authorities as 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen of Arizona.
Passengers said everything appeared normal until roughly two hours into the flight, when Lundeen allegedly began acting belligerently.
“Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos,” passenger Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, told CBS News New York.
Mejia said he turned around and saw Lundeen allegedly attacking the man seated beside him, with his hands around the passenger’s neck.
Witnesses also accused Lundeen of directing racist and homophobic slurs at passengers and crew members.
Richard Olenick, another passenger, said Lundeen called a Black flight attendant a racial slur, while Mejia said people throughout the first-class cabin were subjected to “hatred,” hostility and vulgar language.
According to ABC News, Mejia said the passenger was making derogatory remarks toward American Airlines employees and other travelers, including offensive comments directed at women sitting nearby.
Mejia and Olenick, who were sitting about two rows ahead, began watching the situation and eventually stepped in after Lundeen allegedly became physical.
Olenick said Mejia immediately got up and moved beside the passenger to help restrain him and keep the situation from escalating.
Flight attendants provided zip ties, while duct tape was wrapped around Lundeen to secure him to his seat.
Photos from inside the plane showed the passenger strapped into his first-class seat with tape around his wrists, torso and head.
The struggle did not end quietly.
Mejia said Lundeen bit his hand while they were trying to restrain him, although the bite did not break the skin.
“We were covered in his blood,” Mejia told CBS, saying Lundeen was bleeding from cuts he allegedly inflicted on himself during the incident.
Witnesses said they had not noticed anything unusual about Lundeen before the sudden outburst and were unsure what triggered it.
They believed alcohol may have played a role, although Mejia recalled hearing a flight attendant say Lundeen had been served only one drink.
The pilot diverted the flight to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport as the situation unfolded.
The FAA said the plane diverted at approximately 10:15 p.m.
Mejia and Olenick said Lundeen remained restrained for roughly 15 minutes before the aircraft landed and authorities boarded.
“We weren’t looking to hurt this individual; we were looking more to restrain him and control him, so it didn’t escalate to go any further,” Mejia told ABC News.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police arrested Lundeen after the plane landed.
Authorities said he was charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault for incidents that occurred aboard the aircraft at BWI.
Police also noticed an open wound on Lundeen’s arm while taking him into custody. Paramedics examined him and cleared him, according to authorities.
The alleged conduct that occurred while the plane was in the air is now being investigated by the FBI.
Federal agents said they are conducting interviews and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to determine whether federal charges should also be filed.
After Lundeen was removed from the aircraft, Flight 618 continued to Newark.
American Airlines condemned the incident in a statement.
“The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence,” the airline said, while thanking crew members for their professionalism and passengers for their understanding.
The dramatic confrontation comes amid continued problems with unruly airline passengers.
FAA data cited by CBS News shows more than 1,160 unruly passenger incidents have already been reported in 2026, compared with roughly 1,600 during all of 2025.
Travel experts said restraining a violent passenger with equipment such as zip ties and tape can be an accepted response when someone poses a serious threat and cannot safely be kept in their seat.
For those aboard Flight 618, what began as an ordinary trip from Texas to New Jersey ended with passengers and crew wrestling a man into his seat, an emergency diversion to Baltimore and a federal investigation.