Man duct-taped to plane seat after airborne rampage
A passenger on an American Airlines flight was zip-tied and duct-taped to his seat after becoming violent and embarking on a racist rant, forcing a detour landing.
The Federal Aviation Authority in the US confirmed it was investigating after American Airlines flight 618 landed at Baltimore on September 3 following a crew report of a passenger disturbance.
An unruly passenger was restrained with duct tape on an American Airlines flight last week. Richard Olenick/CNN
The flight was originally headed from Dallas in Texas to Newark.
Richard Olenick and Juan Mejia were more than halfway through the flight when a man two rows behind them in the first-class section started to become belligerent, Olenick told CNN.
A flight attendant tried to control the situation but the man got increasingly agitated, started to hit the passenger next to him and then hit a woman who tried to intervene, Olenick said.
Upon seeing things turn physical, Mejia, who is a retired New Jersey police officer, got up and Olenick followed.
Read more
‘This is not about revenge’: Parents of Australian brothers killed in Mexico to attend murder trial
“He was starting to become abusive and started using profanity,” Olenick said.
The man also used “racial and homophobic slurs”, according to both Olenick and Mejia.
A flight attendant gave Olenick, Mejia and a third person a zip tie, which they used to restrain the man’s wrists as he told them to “get off me.”
The man then bit Mejia and attempted to bite Olenick, which prompted the three men to start using duct tape from a flight attendant to restrain him, both men said.
Following Mejia’s advice, Olenick said they made sure not to put tape over the man’s mouth so he wouldn’t have issues breathing.
“Physically it lessened his ability to move for sure, but it did not solve the issue. He was still pushing and resisting and trying to get up,” Olenick said.
Richard Olenick helped restrain the man. Jaun Mejia/CNN
“The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence,” American Airlines said in a statement.
“We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.”
For the next 15 minutes, Olenick sat on the restrained passenger’s lap until the plane made its emergency landing in Maryland. Olenick attempted to sit back in his seat at one point, but he had to quickly return “because the man started acting up again,” Olenick said.
The 25th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks next week was already on both of their minds, Olenick said, making the situation even more concerning.
“Juan being a being a cop, he lost people. I was probably three miles from it when it happened, so it’s a very sensitive time and then this guy starts, you know, pulling this stuff,” Olenick said.
The incident is under investigation. Richard Olenick/CNN
The Maryland Transportation Authority Police met the plane after it safely landed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport and arrested one man on state charges, an FBI statement said. Officials did not name the man.
After the passenger was removed, the flight continued on its way to Newark, Olenick said.
“We don’t know exactly what happened, what triggered it,” Olenick added. “But whatever it was, it was pretty intense.”
Duct tape and flexible handcuffs are found on many commercial planes for use in restraining violent or disruptive passengers.
In 2024, a passenger who tried to force open a door and injured a flight attendant while flying from Milwaukee to Dallas was duct-taped to his seat.
There have been more than 1160 unruly passenger incidents reported so far this year, according to the FAA.
Besides criminal penalties, the agency can pursue fines of more than $US43,000 ($59,730) against any passenger who “assaults, threatens, intimidates, or interferes with airline crew members”.
Share a tip-off, video or photo with us
