The employer announced the dismissal of a 67-year-old real estate agent from Arizona after his arrest and charges for assault and misconduct. He was accused of being intoxicated and causing a disturbance, assaulting a passenger on an American Airlines flight, prompting crew members to request help from passengers and restrain him to his seat with cable ties and tape before the plane diverted to Baltimore.
Arthur Lane Lundeen, 67, a real estate agent from Arizona, USA, was arrested and charged after reportedly causing a disturbance and assaulting a passenger on an American Airlines flight. He was taped to his seat with cable ties, and the flight was diverted to Baltimore, Maryland.
The incident occurred on 3 September while Lundeen was seated in first class on Flight 618, traveling from Dallas, Texas to Newark, New Jersey. Passenger Juan Meha, aboard the flight, said Lundeen had consumed alcohol and began verbally abusing a nearby passenger before the situation escalated rapidly.
Meha stated that what began as a normal situation suddenly erupted with shouting and chaos. He turned around to see Lundeen with his hands around the neck of the adjacent passenger, appearing to assault him. When flight attendants attempted to intervene, Lundeen allegedly used racial slurs and refused to comply with crew instructions.
Meha and another passenger, Richard Olenik, assisted the crew in restraining Lundeen. Meha recounted that Lundeen bit his hand, leaving teeth marks without breaking the skin. Lundeen himself bled from wounds sustained during the struggle and resisted being controlled. A flight attendant told Meha that Lundeen had only been served one drink before the incident.
Due to the disturbance in first class, the captain decided to divert the flight to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland instead of continuing to Newark.
In the final approximately 15 minutes of the flight, Lundeen was restrained by authorities and passengers using cable ties on his hands and tape to secure his body to the seat to prevent further incidents.
Upon landing, Maryland Transportation Authority police took Lundeen into custody, charging him with disorderly conduct and assault, both misdemeanors according to court documents.
Subsequently, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took over the investigation, stating they are interviewing witnesses to gather facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to determine if additional federal charges will be filed.
Images released by U.S. media show a man taped from arm to torso to a seat, with his face and parts of the image blurred. Another video segment shows law enforcement near the restrained man alongside a flight attendant holding a roll of tape.
After learning of the incident, Long Realty, the real estate company Lundeen worked for, immediately terminated his employment. Kevin Kaplan, CEO of Long Companies, stated that although Lundeen was an independent contractor, the company holds all associated individuals to high standards of conduct. Therefore, Lundeen is no longer affiliated with the company.
Arizona’s real estate department records indicate Lundeen has been licensed as a real estate agent in the state since 2001. His work history shows he has been with Long Realty’s Tucson and Tanque Verde offices since 2013.
According to court documents, Lundeen appeared in court on 4 September and waived his right to an attorney during the initial hearing. He was released without bail, and his trial is scheduled for 19 October.
American Airlines confirmed that Flight 618 was diverted to Baltimore on 3 September due to a passenger causing a disturbance and posing a safety threat. After landing, law enforcement boarded the plane and removed the passenger before the flight continued to its destination.
The airline emphasized that passenger and crew safety is paramount and does not tolerate any form of violence. It thanked staff for their professionalism and passengers for their understanding of the situation.