Man Duct-Taped to His Plane Seat for Violent Outburst Has Now Lost His Job

On September 3, 2026, a man on an American Airlines flight from Dallas, Texas, to Newark, New Jersey, ended up restrained and duct-taped to his seat due to a violent outburst. The plane had to make an emergency landing due to the incident, and the man was arrested in Baltimore, Maryland. Now, according to a statement released by his employer, he also no longer has a job.

The real estate agency where he was working as a vice president in Arizona, Long Realty, released a statement on Facebook that read, “Long Realty is aware of reports concerning criminal charges filed against a former affiliated real estate agent arising from an incident that allegedly occurred during a commercial flight. Upon learning of the incident, Long Realty promptly ended its affiliation with the individual. The individual is no longer associated with or authorized to represent Long Realty in any capacity.”

It’s just the latest consequence to be reported on after the man’s unruly flight behavior.

The Wild Plane Ride That Started It All

Arthur Lundeen, 67, was on the plane from Dallas to Newark when he became extremely unruly (and acting worse than the toddler on one flight who wouldn’t fasten their seatbelt), drawing the attention of the other passengers.

According to ABC News, a former law enforcement officer on the flight, Juan Mejia, explained, “[The] gentleman sitting two rows behind us started becoming belligerent, making derogatory remarks to the staff of American Airlines and other passengers, racial slurs, vulgar language, very offensive to the women […].”

Meija and a friend who was also on the flight kept an eye on the situation. Meija claimed that the man eventually became physically aggressive, as well as verbally, as he allegedly tried to hit and bite others. At that point, he jumped up to take action and worked to get Lundeen restrained to contain the situation.

With his and his friend’s help, flight attendants used zip ties and duct tape to incapacitate Lundeen, after which the emergency landing in Baltimore was made. Lundeen was taken off the flight and arrested at that point.

American Airlines said after the incident, per CNN, “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.”

Lundeen Faces Even More Consequences

According to Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Lundeen was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct for his behavior on the plane. While he has been released for now, he is due to appear in court on October 19, 2026. The FBI is also allegedly investigating the incident, which could possibly lead to more charges.

Lundeen may also have trouble finding a new job, at least in real estate. His former employer also had more to say about his behavior in their statement, which concluded, “The conduct described in the reports is wholly inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect for others that Long Realty expects from those affiliated with the company. We expect those associated with our company to uphold those values, and we have no tolerance for conduct that so clearly falls short of those expectations.”

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