An American Airlines flight bound for Newark was forced to divert to Baltimore after a passenger allegedly launched into a violent midair outburst, shouting racial slurs and attacking another traveler before fellow passengers helped restrain him with duct tape and zip ties.
American Airlines Flight 618 was traveling from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark, New Jersey, late Thursday when the disturbance prompted the crew to make an unscheduled landing at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
According to TMZ, the unidentified passenger allegedly began screaming racial slurs during the confrontation, with witnesses saying his behavior endangered others aboard the aircraft.
Video recorded during the incident shows crew members and passengers working together to secure the struggling man in his seat.
Photographs taken aboard the plane show the passenger restrained with zip ties and duct tape, which was also used to hold his head against the seat.
Witnesses said the trouble began roughly two hours after takeoff, when the passenger suddenly started shouting at the man seated beside him. TMZ reported that he yelled about Jesus and going to hell, prompting a flight attendant to approach and try to defuse the situation.
The passenger allegedly directed a racial slur at the flight attendant, who is Black. His behavior reportedly then turned physical, with the man striking the passenger sitting next to him.
A female passenger initially attempted to intervene but was pushed by the disruptive traveler, according to the report. Three male passengers then stepped in to help bring the situation under control.
“Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos,” one of the men, retired law enforcement officer Juan Mejia, told CBS Texas. “I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him.”
Flight attendants provided the three passengers with duct tape and zip ties, which they used to secure the man to his seat. They continued holding him down as he reportedly struggled to free himself.
American Airlines and the Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that the flight was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. Law enforcement officers were waiting when the aircraft arrived and took the passenger into custody.
“On Sept. 3, American Airlines flight 618 diverted to Baltimore (BWI) due to a disruptive customer,” the airline said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “Upon arrival, law enforcement met the aircraft and assisted with deplaning the customer before the flight continued to its destination.”
“The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence. We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding,” the statement added.
The FBI said Maryland Transportation Police arrested the passenger and booked him on state charges following the diversion.
“The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed,” a spokesperson for the agency said in a statement to CBS Texas.
