An American Airlines flight departing from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport was rerouted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after a passenger disturbance onboard. The aircraft, Flight 618 en route to Newark Liberty International Airport, landed safely around 10:15 p.m. local time on Thursday, Sept. 3, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
Authorities confirmed that a man was restrained to his seat using duct tape and zip ties during the incident. Maryland Transportation Authority Police arrested the individual upon landing. The passenger's identity has not been released, and officials have not yet provided further details regarding the specific charges or the outcome of the arrest.
Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer who was traveling on the flight, described the situation to multiple news outlets. He stated that the disturbance began approximately three-quarters of the way through the journey when a man seated two rows behind him became aggressive.
Mejia reported that the individual directed racial slurs and vulgar language toward airline staff and other passengers, specifically noting the behavior was offensive to women in the row behind.
Mejia explained that fellow travelers intervened to de-escalate the situation rather than cause harm. "We weren't looking to hurt this individual; we were looking more to restrain him and control him, so it didn't escalate to go any further," he said.
