Who Is Arthur Lundeen? Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat on American Airlines Flight After Midair Outburst

A 67-year-old Arizona man identified as Arthur Lundeen was arrested after an alleged disturbance aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark forced the plane to divert to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport on Thursday night, Sept. 3.

Lundeen was described disruptive and violent during the American Airlines Flight 618, according to authorities and the airline.

Passengers intervened restraining him to his seat with duct tape and zip ties before the plane landed at BWI, where Maryland Transportation Authority Police took him into custody.

Who Is Arthur Lundeen?

Lundeen is from Tucson, Arizona according to information cited in Maryland court records by Hindustan Times.

He has been identified as the passenger at the center of the incident with his case now in Maryland state court facing second-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges

He was released on bond Sept. 4 and is scheduled for another court appearance on Oct. 19, 2026, according to the court information cited by Hindustan Times.

Limited verified biographical information about Lundeen has been publicly established in connection with the case.

Authorities have not publicly released a detailed account of his background or a confirmed motive for the alleged behavior.

What Happened on American Airlines Flight 618?

Passenger Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer, told ABC News that he noticed the disturbance during the latter part of the flight.

He said Lundeen had been making derogatory remarks toward crew members and passengers, including racial slurs and vulgar language.

Mejia and fellow passenger Richard Olenick told ABC News they intervened after Lundeen allegedly became physical.

“We weren’t looking to hurt this individual; we were looking more to restrain him and control him,” Mejia told ABC News.

Videos and images from the flight showed Lundeen restrained against his seat with duct tape, while his hands were secured with zip ties, as crew members and passengers got involved in restraining him.

Rather than continuing to Newark, Flight 618 was diverted to BWI, where it landed at about 10:15 p.m. Thursday, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.

Police met the aircraft at the airport and arrested Lundeen.

After he was removed, American Airlines said the flight continued to Newark.

American Airlines said in a statement that the safety and security of its customers and employees is its “top priority” and that the carrier “do[es] not tolerate violence.”

What Charges Does Arthur Lundeen Face?

Lundeen currently faces second-degree assault and disorderly conduct in Maryland.

The FBI is separately investigating what happened aboard the aircraft while consulting with the U.S. Attorney’s Office about whether federal charges could follow.

The FAA is also investigating the incident.

Lundeen has been arrested and charged at the state level, but the federal investigation remains ongoing.

Any additional federal charges have not been announced.