Unruly passenger arrested after being restrained with duct tape during flight
An American Airlines flight was diverted to Baltimore after a 67-year-old passenger became unruly and was restrained by other passengers using duct tape and zip ties. The FBI and FAA are currently investigating the incident, which involved verbal abuse and physical aggression.
Why it matters
This incident highlights ongoing concerns regarding passenger safety and the protocols for handling disruptive behavior on commercial aircraft.
A man was arrested for alleged unruly behavior on an American Airlines flight causing it to divert to Baltimore on Thursday night, according to the airline and investigators.
Arthur Lundeen, 67, of Arizona, was restrained to his seat with duct tape and his hands were restrained with zip ties, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority Police, which arrested him after the plane landed.
A passenger was restrained with duct tape after he allegedly became unruly on an American Airlines flight, Sept. 3, 2026. Richard Olenick The incident took place on American Airlines flight AA 618, which took off from Dallas and was en route to Newark, according to the FBI and the airline.
Juan Mejia, a passenger on that flight and a former law enforcement officer, told ABC he began hearing a disturbance about three quarters of the way into the flight.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in