Sep 05, 2026
A man was arrested at BWI near Baltimore Thursday night after being accused of causing a disturbance on a flight out of Houston, as well as using racial slurs toward a flight attendant on an American Airlines flight.Layne Lundee n, 67, of Tucson, Arizona, was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. At a bail review on Friday, he was released on his own recognizance.He has another court appearance on October 19.On Thursday night, American Airlinesflight 618 from Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to Newark was diverted to BWI due to a disruptive passenger.TMZ was the first to report on the incident, saying a man, now identified as Lundeen, was screaming racial and anti-gay slurs at a flight attendant who stepped in to break up an argument between him and another passenger.RELATED STORY | Packing for a trip? New airline policy could limit how many chargers you bringThe man was restrained to his seat with duct tape and zip ties, and the plane was diverted to BWI.American Airlines said, "In rare instances, restraints may be used when necessary to maintain the safety and security of everyone on board. Consistent with industry practice, restraint cups and tape are included in the flight attendant service kit that's carried on our aircraft.The Maryland Transportation Authority Police and the FBI met the flight and arrested Lundeen. The flight continued to its destination in Newark, New Jersey.The FBI says its conducting interviews and will also consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine whether to file any federal charges.RELATED STORY | Student pilot safely lands plane after instructor jumps to his deathAmerican Airlines released a statement saying, "The safetyandsecurityof our customersand team membersis our toppriority, andwedo nottolerate violence. We thank ourteam members fortheirprofessionalismandour customersfortheirunderstanding."This article was written by Siobhan Garrett for the Scripps News Group station in Baltimore. ...read more read less
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