An American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark was forced to divert to Baltimore after an Arizona man allegedly became combative, hurled racial slurs, and had to be duct-taped to his seat by passengers and flight crew.
A routine Thursday night commercial flight turned into an eight-hour ordeal for travelers aboard American Airlines Flight 618 after a passenger experienced an erratic episode in the final row of first class. The incident unfolded at about 11 p.m. on Thursday on the flight coming from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark, New Jersey, which was diverted to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after witnesses reported the man was physically aggressive and shouting derogatory remarks.
Passenger Restraint and the Diversion to Baltimore
Passengers and crew members intervened as the situation escalated near the end of the flight, working together to subdue the individual. Witness accounts shared with NBC New York described the disruptive traveler as thrashing around while multiple individuals worked to keep him pinned in his seat. Images obtained by TMZ showed the restrained man duct taped to his seat on the aircraft.
Court and police records identified the unruly passenger as Layne Lundeen, a 67-year-old Tucson, Arizona resident who works as a managing partner at a real estate brokerage company. Lundeen is listed in a background report as working as part of the Long Realty Tanque Verde Trio Team and has lived in the Tucson area since the late 1980s with brief stints in other states. Law enforcement found Lundeen’s body secured with duct tape to an airplane seat and his hands restricted with zip ties when the flight touched down at Gate C3.
“I think he hurt himself and was bleeding on the seat and apparently was assaulting the man sitting next to him, who was another man dressed in a suit.”
Photo: thebanner.com
Michelle Ng-Reyes, witness, via NBC New York
Two passengers, Richard Olenick and Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer, reportedly heard a disturbance roughly towards the end of the flight. Lundeen, who was two rows behind the men, became belligerent and began spouting off racial slurs, vulgar language, and derogatory remarks directed toward crew and fellow passengers, Mejia told ABC News. Once Lundeen reportedly became physical, Olenick and Mejia intervened, working to restrain him alongside the flight crew. Witnesses noted that an air marshal sitting close by also helped subdue the unruly passenger. Michelle Ng-Reyes told NBC New York that when they were restraining him, he was slurring his words, leading observers to think he may have had too much to drink, while the air marshal suggested he could have experienced some kind of mental episode or a break. Others passengers claimed the man was yelling racially derogatory slurs at a Middle Eastern man wearing a nice business suit who was sitting next to him. Lundeen also seemed to target three flight attendants who were Black, sparking concerns for the flight’s safety because witnesses worried he might try to go into the cockpit.
Maryland Transportation Authority Police met the aircraft upon landing and arrested Lundeen on suspicion of disorderly conduct and second-degree assault. Police stated that as two officers put Lundeen in handcuffs and removed the duct tape and zip ties, he hit one of them in the chest. Lundeen was escorted from the aircraft and booked into jail.
Photo: NBC New York
Federal authorities are actively reviewing the incident. In a statement reported, FBI National Security Assistant Special Agent in Charge Marcus Perry confirmed that the agency is conducting interviews and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office to determine if federal charges will be filed against Lundeen.
On Friday, Lundeen appeared before a district court commissioner, who released him on his own recognizance after he waived an attorney. His trial is scheduled for Oct. 19 in the District Court of Maryland for Anne Arundel County in Glen Burnie. He could not immediately be reached for comment.
American Airlines emphasized that safety remains its primary concern following the mid-air disturbance. In an official statement, the carrier noted that law enforcement met the aircraft and assisted with deplaning the customer before the flight continued to its destination.
Tucson real estate agent duct-taped to seat after becoming unruly on flight
“The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence.”
American Airlines spokesperson
The airline also thanked its team members for their professionalism and customers for their understanding. What originally should have been a 3.5-hour journey transformed into an eight-hour ordeal by the time the flight finally made it to Newark, according to Ng-Reyes. The enraged passenger had to be dragged off the plane because he initially refused to get off, she added, while his fellow passengers journeyed on to New Jersey.
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