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Disruptive Passenger Duct-Taped to First-Class Seat as Plane Makes Emergency Landing
Fellow passengers restrained the man with duct tape and zip ties, and the FAA says it has logged 1,163 unruly passenger reports this year.
- On Thursday, September 3, 2026, American Airlines Flight 618 diverted to Baltimore after 67-year-old passenger Layne Arthur Lundeen allegedly became violent and hurled racial and anti-gay slurs, forcing an emergency landing.
- Roughly two hours into the flight from Dallas to Newark, Lundeen allegedly grabbed a seatmate's neck and struck a computer, prompting passengers and crew to intervene with duct tape and zip ties.
- "Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos," passenger Juan Mejia said, describing how he and Richard Olenick restrained Lundeen for 15 minutes until landing in Maryland.
- Long Realty Company CEO Kevin Kaplan terminated Lundeen's affiliation on September 5, citing conduct "wholly inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect for others" expected of their agents.
- Lundeen faces state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, while the FBI and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland evaluate whether federal prosecution is warranted.
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‘Rage and the fury of the enemy’: Jonathan Cahn reveals he was demonically attacked in flight, as passenger ‘cursing Jesus’ had to be duct-taped * WorldNetDaily * by Joe Kovacs
'I have never seen someone change in a split second from light to dark as I saw then, as if something had taken him over'
·Washington, United States
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TVA NouvellesReposted by 
Le Journal de Montreal
Le Journal de MontrealA 67-year-old passenger with "aggressive" behaviour was attached to his seat with tape.
·Montreal, Canada
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The IndependentReposted by 
The Independent (US)
The Independent (US)American Airlines passenger duct-taped to seat after mid-air meltdown loses his job
Other passengers claimed Lundeen was using vulgar and bigoted language toward the flight crew
·London, United Kingdom
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Total News Sources345
Leaning Left48Leaning Right60Center86Last UpdatedBias Distribution44% Center
Bias Distribution
- 44% of the sources are Center
44% Center
L 25%
C 44%
R 31%
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