Disruption on Flight 618

An American Airlines flight scheduled from Dallas to Newark was diverted on Thursday evening, 3 September 2026, after a passenger became violent mid-air. American Airlines Flight 618 departed Texas toward Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, operating under routine conditions during the first phase of the flight. Approximately two hours after takeoff, 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen from Arizona began shouting verbal insults at cabin crew and nearby passengers. Witnesses stated that Lundeen directed racial slurs at a flight attendant and aimed vulgar language at women seated in the row behind him. Passengers seated in first class reported that the hostility spread quickly throughout the cabin. The verbal altercation turned physical when Lundeen placed his hands around the neck of the passenger sitting beside him in the aisle seat.

Former law enforcement officer Juan Mejia, who was traveling two rows ahead of Lundeen with his companion Richard Olenick, turned around as the altercation erupted.

“Like flipping a switch, suddenly it went from quiet to screaming and chaos.”

Restraint with tape and zip ties

Seeing the assault take place, Mejia and Olenick stepped in to protect the passenger and assist the flight attendants. A crew member provided duct tape and plastic zip ties so the men could physically immobilize the unruly passenger. Mejia sat in the seat next to Lundeen, working to pin him down while Olenick and cabin staff wrapped adhesive tape around his torso and secured his hands with plastic ties. Video recorded on board showed the tape wrapped from Lundeen's torso up toward his head to keep him from moving. During the struggle, Lundeen bit Mejia's hand and sustained cuts that left blood on the individuals holding him.

“He bit my hand. He didn't break the skin, he just left teeth marks on my hand. We were covered in his blood. He was bleeding quite a bit from self-inflicted cuts.”

Passengers reported that Lundeen showed no signs of agitation before the sudden episode, though flight attendants noted he had been served one alcoholic drink.

Emergency diversion and legal charges

Mejia and Olenick remained beside Lundeen in the cabin to ensure he stayed restrained for the remainder of the flight. Because the passenger posed an ongoing threat to cabin safety, the flight crew diverted the aircraft to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. The aircraft touched down at the Maryland airport at approximately 22:15, where officers from the Maryland Transportation Authority Police boarded and took Lundeen into custody. Paramedics evaluated Lundeen at the airport for an open wound on his arm before police processed his arrest.

The Maryland Transportation Authority Police charged Lundeen with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct for the mid-flight confrontation.

“Safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence.”

American Airlines confirmed that Flight 618 completed its scheduled route to Newark after police removed Lundeen from the aircraft. The Federal Bureau of Investigation is reviewing the case with federal prosecutors to evaluate potential federal charges, while the Federal Aviation Administration continues its inquiry into the incident.