Who is Arthur Lundeen? Man glued to seat mid-flight after hurling racist anti-LGBTQ slur | Today’s news
The passenger whose images went viral after being restrained with duct tape during an American Airlines flight has been identified as 67-year-old Arizona resident Arthur Lundeen, the New York Post reported.
Lundeen was arrested after American Airlines Flight 618, traveling from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport in Texas to Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey, was diverted to Baltimore after a passenger disturbance.
Maryland Transportation Authority police identified Lundeen as the man at the center of the Sept. 3 incident. Videos of passengers and crew restraining him, along with photos of him being strapped into a seat, later spread online.
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What happened on the flight?
The disturbance reportedly began about two hours after the plane took off. Investigators and passengers said Lundeen became increasingly aggressive, shouting profanities as well as racial and anti-LGBTQ slurs.
He is also accused of directing a racial slur at a flight attendant who tried to intervene.
The situation turned violent soon after. Lundeen was accused of hitting the passenger sitting next to him and damaging the person’s computer. A woman who tried to intervene was also pushed.
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Passengers and crew restricted Lundeen
As the confrontation escalated, cabin crew members and fellow passengers intervened to prevent the situation from escalating further.
Lundeen’s hands were initially secured with zippers. Duct tape was then used to hold him in the seat for the rest of the flight.
The pilot subsequently diverted the aircraft to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Officers boarded the plane after landing and took Lundeen into custody.
Passengers remember the commotion
Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement official who was traveling on the plane, told ABC News that he was aware of the disruption during the second leg of the trip.
Mejia said Lundeen was sitting two rows behind him and became “combative.” He allegedly heard him use profanity and racial slurs, including remarks directed at members of the flight crew.
Mejia and fellow passenger Richard Olenick are said to have intervened after Lundeen allegedly became physically aggressive.
Who is Arthur Lundeen?
Lundeen was identified as the passenger whose alleged behavior forced an American Airlines flight bound for New Jersey to divert to Baltimore. He was arrested after the plane landed.
According to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal, Lundeen’s case is pending in the District Court for Anne Arundel County in Glen Burnie.
Court records identify him as Arthur Layne Lundeen, a white male, 5’10”, 160 pounds, with brown eyes.
Records list Lundeen as a resident of Tucson, Arizona. His date of birth is recorded as August 17, 1959, making him 67 years old.
What charges does Arthur Lundeen face?
Lundeen was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, both misdemeanors. He was released on bail on September 4.
He waived his right to counsel during his first appearance and is due back in court on Oct. 19, 2026, according to the Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record.
