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An Arizona real estate agent has lost more than his composure following an alleged midair rampage that ended with him duct-taped to his first-class seat.
Arthur Layne Lundeen, 67, was fired by Long Realty after the company learned of his arrest aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark on Thursday.
The flight was cruising toward New Jersey when, according to witnesses, Lundeen allegedly became intoxicated, began shouting abuse, and turned on the passenger seated beside him.
Passenger Juan Mejia told CBS News that the cabin went from quiet to chaos almost instantly. He said Lundeen became physically aggressive toward the man in the aisle seat, at one point allegedly wrapping his arms around the passenger’s neck.
Crew members tried to intervene, but Lundeen allegedly refused to cooperate and shouted racist and homophobic slurs.
Mejia and fellow passenger Richard O’Lenick then stepped in to help the crew restrain him, using zip ties and enough duct tape to ensure he remained firmly attached to the seat he had paid extra to occupy.
American Airlines passenger duct tape to his seat following unruly behavior onboard flight AA618 Thursday night.
— Breaking Aviation News & Videos (@aviationbrk) September 5, 2026
Arthur Lundeen, 67, of Arizona, was restrained to his seat with duct tape and his hands were restrained with zip ties, according to the Maryland Transportation… pic.twitter.com/s79nORwCvh
The struggle was far from tidy.
Mejia said Lundeen bit his hand, while both men ended up covered in blood because the restrained passenger was also bleeding from injuries he had apparently inflicted on himself.
With the situation under control but the atmosphere understandably ruined, the pilot diverted the aircraft to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Lundeen reportedly spent the final 15 minutes before landing immobilized in his seat.
Police were waiting when the plane arrived. He was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, according to Maryland court records.
Long Realty wasted little time putting distance between itself and the airborne spectacle. The Tucson-based company said Lundeen was no longer associated with the firm or authorized to represent it in any capacity.
*Source: CBS News
