Passenger duct taped to seat after allegedly calling flight attendant racial slur
A passenger on an American Airlines flight was duct-taped to a seat after he allegedly used a racial slur against a flight attendant and punched a fellow passenger.
On a flight from Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas, to Newark, New Jersey, an American Airlines passenger became violent and was subsequently subdued by other passengers, according to TMZ. The incident occurred on flight AA618, which had been in the air for two hours when tensions escalated. The man, identified as 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen from Tucson, Arizona, reportedly made racist and homophobic insults towards a flight attendant and other passengers.
He then allegedly punched another traveler and pushed a woman who attempted to intervene. In response, the plane was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport around 10:15 PM, and authorities detained Lundeen. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the plane was deplaned, and authorities have taken custody of the disruptive passenger.
American Airlines stated that the safety of passengers and crew is their top priority and that they do not tolerate violence. The FBI is investigating the incident and consulting with the US Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges might be brought. This event comes in the wake of the 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, which highlighted the heightened security measures now in place at airports worldwide.
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