Arthur Lundeen’s trip from Dallas to Newark ended about 200 miles short of its destination, with his hands zip-tied and his body secured to a first-class seat with strips of duct tape.
The 67-year-old Arizona real estate agent had been on American Airlines Flight 618 on Sept. 3 when witnesses said his behavior changed from loud and abusive to physical. Passenger Juan Mejia told CBS New York that Lundeen put his hands around the neck of the man seated beside him after passengers had already heard vulgar language and slurs in the cabin.
Mejia and fellow passenger Richard Olenick stepped in. Flight attendants supplied zip ties and duct tape, and Lundeen was restrained while the plane diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Maryland Transportation Authority Police arrested him after landing on charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, ABC News reported.
The consequences followed him off the plane. Tucson-based Long Realty said it “promptly ended its affiliation” with Lundeen after learning of the criminal charges, leaving the man whose restraint became the defining image of the flight without his real estate position as the FBI continued reviewing what happened in the air.
Strapped In
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The flight had been traveling from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport when the disturbance broke out. American Airlines later confirmed Flight 618 diverted to Baltimore because of a “disruptive customer” and continued to Newark after police removed him.
Michelle Ng-Reyes, another passenger, told NBC New York that Lundeen was “thrashing around” as people tried to restrain him. She said his verbal abuse included racially derogatory language and appeared to be directed in part at Black flight attendants.
Mejia said he and Olenick moved in after the situation turned physical. He described seeing Lundeen with his hands around his seatmate’s neck. The two men worked with the crew to get Lundeen under control, first securing his hands and then using duct tape to keep him in the seat until the aircraft landed.
The restraint produced the images now circulating widely online: a gray-haired man fixed to his seat by silver tape while other passengers stood around him.
Grounded Early
Maryland Transportation Authority Police identified Lundeen as an Arizona resident and charged him with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. Officers also noticed an open wound on his arm during the arrest, and paramedics evaluated and cleared him before he was processed, according to the police account reported by ABC News.
Court records cited in subsequent coverage show Lundeen was released on his own recognizance after an initial appearance on Sept. 4. His next scheduled appearance is Oct. 19 in the District Court for Anne Arundel County in Glen Burnie.
The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office also responded to BWI. The bureau said it was conducting interviews and would consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland about whether federal charges should be filed.
Company Departure
By Sunday, Lundeen’s professional life had changed too. Long Realty said it ended its affiliation with him after learning of the charges and that he was no longer associated with or authorized to represent the firm.
The company said the conduct described in reports was inconsistent with the “professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect for others” it expects from people affiliated with Long Realty.
Lundeen has not been convicted of the Maryland charges. The state case remains pending, while the FBI continues reviewing the in-flight incident.