Passengers use zip ties, duct tape to restrain man on US flight

An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark was forced to divert to Baltimore after an allegedly violent passenger was restrained by fellow travellers using zip ties and duct tape.

The passenger, identified by Maryland Transportation Authority Police as Arthur Lundeen, 67, of Tucson, Arizona, was arrested after Flight 618 landed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Thursday night.

According to The New York Times, the flight had been proceeding normally when Lundeen began shouting vulgarities before his behaviour escalated.

Richard O’Lenick, 53, who was travelling on the flight, told the newspaper that Lundeen began shouting racial slurs at a flight attendant.

“He was getting very aggressive and very loud,” O’Lenick said.

Passengers step in

O’Lenick said Lundeen then struck the laptop of the passenger sitting beside him and grabbed the man by the throat. When a woman seated nearby attempted to intervene, Lundeen allegedly turned on her as well.

O’Lenick and Juan Mejia, who were seated two rows ahead, then stepped in.

Mejia is a retired New Jersey police officer and works with O’Lenick at Gun for Hire, a shooting range and training centre in Woodland Park, New Jersey.

“I started trying to tell him to relax, we don’t want to hurt you, we just want you to settle down,” O’Lenick told The New York Times.

A flight attendant supplied zip ties to restrain Lundeen’s hands, but he continued struggling.

Mejia told Arizona Family that Lundeen bit his hand and forearm during the confrontation. The men eventually used duct tape to secure Lundeen to his seat after the zip ties proved insufficient to control him.

O’Lenick told The New York Times that the struggle lasted around 10 minutes and that Lundeen screamed that the aircraft was going down.

“The entire time the flight attendants were present,” O’Lenick said. “They were advising throughout the process.”

Other accounts said O’Lenick and Mejia continued helping restrain Lundeen as the aircraft approached Baltimore.

Flight diverted to Baltimore

The plane landed at BWI shortly after 10pm, where law-enforcement officers boarded and removed Lundeen.

American Airlines confirmed the diversion, saying Flight 618 had been rerouted because of a disruptive customer and that law enforcement assisted in removing the passenger before the aircraft continued to Newark. The airline said it did not tolerate violence and thanked its crew members for their professionalism.

Maryland court records cited by The New York Times show Lundeen was charged with two misdemeanours — second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.

He waived his right to a lawyer at an initial court appearance on Friday and was released on his own recognisance, the newspaper reported.

Subsequent reporting citing court records said Lundeen is due back in court on October 19.

The FBI is investigating the incident. Daily Voice, citing local television station WMAR, reported that investigators were interviewing people connected with the episode and would consult the US Attorney’s Office in Maryland over whether federal charges were warranted.

The Federal Aviation Administration is also investigating, according to The New York Times.

Employer cuts ties

Since the incident, Lundeen’s former employer, Long Realty Company in Arizona, has confirmed that it ended its association with him.

The company said it acted after learning of the criminal charges stemming from the flight and that Lundeen was no longer associated with or authorised to represent the business.

“The conduct described in the reports is wholly inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect for others that Long Realty expects from those affiliated with the company,” Long Realty said in a statement reported by Arizona Family.

Cabin cleaned after struggle

Lundeen suffered an open wound to his arm during the disturbance and was cleared by paramedics after the plane landed, according to Maryland Transportation Authority Police, cited by The New York Times.

O’Lenick said blood from the incident required the cabin to be cleaned before the aircraft could resume its journey.

Neither he nor Mejia sought medical treatment.

The flight subsequently departed Baltimore and reached Newark without further incident.

O’Lenick said he did not know what had triggered Lundeen’s behaviour and expressed sympathy for him despite what had happened.

“I feel bad for the guy,” O’Lenick told The New York Times. “I don’t know what he was going through. What we do know is that he was getting physical with his actions, and we didn’t know where he was going to stop.”

“We were just there to help.”