An American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark has descended into chaos after a 67-year-old passenger allegedly began insulting and then attacking people on board, forcing other passengers to tie him to his seat with tape and plastic ties.
The incident occurred Thursday evening on flight 618. American Airlines has confirmed that the plane was forced to divert to Baltimore/Washington International Airport due to a "problematic passenger."
According to Maryland police, the person arrested is Layne Lundeen, 67, of Tucson, Arizona. When officers arrived on the plane, they found him tied to his seat with tape and plastic ties, while two passengers were holding him down. He faces state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
According to witnesses, the incident began when the 67-year-old man began yelling at a passenger next to him. When an African-American flight attendant intervened to calm him down, the man allegedly used a racist slur and made homophobic comments. The situation then escalated into violence.
He is accused of hitting the passenger next to him and the latter's computer. A woman who tried to intervene was allegedly pushed, which prompted three other passengers to intervene to neutralize him.
Footage released from inside the plane shows the unusual measure used to restrain him: the man is strapped tightly to his seat with layers of tape around his body, arms and even his head. According to witnesses, the crew gave passengers tape and plastic ties to keep him immobilized until the plane landed.
The pilot changed course and the plane landed in Baltimore about 15 minutes later. Police boarded and arrested the 67-year-old, while the flight then continued to Newark.
American Airlines stated that it does not tolerate violence and that the safety of passengers and employees is the company's top priority.
The case may not end with just local charges. The FBI has confirmed that it is interviewing the people involved and will consult with the Maryland U.S. Attorney's Office to determine whether federal charges will also be filed against the 67-year-old.
From a routine Dallas-Newark flight, the passengers ended up in Baltimore, while one of them ended the trip not at the destination, but tied to the plane seat and escorted by police.
