Arthur Lundeen has been identified as the man duct taped to the seat of an American Airlines flight after an alleged racist outburst. 

Published on: Sep 5, 2026, 10:31:25 IST

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Arthur Lundeen has been identified as the man duct taped to the seat of an American Airlines flight. The plane was traveling from Dallas Fort-Worth to New Jersey, when Lundeen engaged in belligerent behavior, launching into a racist outburst, as per reports.

The photo of him duct taped to the seat was first shared by TMZ but went viral online.

“A passenger was strapped to his seat after making racist and anti-LGBT remarks. He allegedly screamed about Jesus & going to hell, called a Black flight attendant the N-word, used the F-slur, then became violent, hitting another passenger and striking their computer,” the page noted.

Several people online slammed Lundeen's behavior. “Duct tape still holding the country together,” one quipped. Another added “I love justice.”

Here's all you need to know about Arthur Lundeen.

Who is Arthur Lundeen? 5 things to know

1. Arthur Lundeen was identified as the unruly passenger onboard the American Airlines flight. Due to his behavior, the New Jersey bound plane had to be diverted to Baltimore, where Lundeen was arrested.
2. Lundeen's case will be heard in the District Court For Anne Arundel County in Glen Burnie, as per the Maryland Judiciary Case Search & Record Portal.
3. It notes that Arthur Layne Lundeen is a white male who is 5'10" tall and weighs 160 lbs. Lundeen has brown eyes as per the portal details.
4. Lundeen is from Tucson, Arizona, and his address is listed as 3261 N Dold Ct. As per the records, Lundeen was born on 17/8/1959 and is 67 years old.
5. Lundeen faces charges for second-degree assault and disorderly conduct. These are misdemeanor charges. He was released on bond on September 4.

Lundeen waived attorney at initial appearance and is now slated to appear in court next on October 19, 2026, as per the portal records.

What people said about Arthur Lundeen

Passenger Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement official, told ABC News that he heard a disturbance about three-quarters into the flight time. As per the individual, Lundeen was seated two rows behind him and started to get 'belligerent’. He was using vulgar language and racial slurs, even passing a derogatory remark to the flight crew.

Mejia and Richard Olenick, another passenger, reportedly intervened when Lundeen got physical.

“That's crazy. I've never seen something like that. I would be scared if that person was on my flight,” BWI passenger Kaunain Hashmi said to Fox Baltimore. Jeff Vogel, another passenger, added “Most of the flights I've been on have been pretty calm. But I've heard of flights where people are quite unruly and they have had to restrain people with zip ties and tape and all sorts of things.”

The FBI's Baltimore field office is investigating the matter and checking with the U.S. Attorney's Office to see if Lundeen could face federal charges. The FAA is also investigating.

American Airlines in a statement said “On Sept. 3, American Airlines flight 618 diverted to Baltimore (BWI) due to a disruptive customer. 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.”

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