On September 3, 2026, Arthur Lundeen, a 67-year-old man from Arizona, disrupted American Airlines flight AA618 from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark about two hours after takeoff [1, 2, 3]. Lundeen, reportedly intoxicated, verbally abused crew and passengers with racist and anti-gay remarks [1, 4, 5].

The passenger became physically violent, grabbing the neck of a neighboring man and pushing a woman who tried to intervene, while also damaging personal property [1, 4, 6]. Retired law enforcement officer Juan Mejia described how the situation escalated quickly: "It was like a switch was flipped — quiet one moment, then yelling and chaos the next. I turned and saw the man grabbing the neck of the poor guy next to him by the aisle, like he was attacking him" [2].

Passengers and crew worked together to subdue Lundeen. Two passengers, including Mejia, used duct tape and zip ties to tightly restrain him in his seat to prevent further violence [1, 7, 3]. Mejia said, "We weren’t trying to hurt him, just to control him and stop things from getting worse" [7]. Photos and videos circulated online showed Lundeen fully taped and tied to his airplane seat, with some likening him to a "mummy" [1, 8].

The pilot diverted the flight to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where it landed at approximately 22:15 local time [1, 6]. Authorities arrested Lundeen on state charges of second-degree assault and disturbing the peace. He remains in custody pending further proceedings [1, 7].

American Airlines issued a statement condemning the violence, emphasizing, "Passenger and crew safety is always the top priority. The company does not tolerate violence and appreciates the professionalism of our crew and the understanding of passengers" [2].

The FBI is investigating the incident and working with federal prosecutors to explore possible federal charges [2]. After Lundeen’s removal, the flight resumed its journey to Newark [5, 3].

Lundeen appeared in court on September 4 and was released on personal recognizance. His next court hearing is scheduled for October 19, 2026 [1].