American Airlines Flight 618 was traveling from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark when a disturbance prompted passengers to help restrain a man.
BALTIMORE, MD — Passengers used duct tape and zip ties to restrain a disruptive man aboard an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark on Thursday night before the pilot diverted the plane to Baltimore, where authorities arrested the passenger on Maryland state charges.
American Airlines Flight 618 landed safely at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport at about 10:15 p.m. Sept. 3 after the crew reported a passenger disturbance, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. Law enforcement officers met the aircraft, removed the man and allowed the flight to continue to Newark Liberty International Airport. The FAA and FBI are investigating, and federal prosecutors are reviewing whether additional charges are warranted.
Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, and fellow passenger Richard Olenick told CBS News New York that the disturbance began about two hours into the flight. Mejia said the cabin changed suddenly from quiet to shouting and disorder. He said he turned around and saw the disruptive passenger apparently assaulting the man seated next to him. Olenick said the passenger also directed a racial slur at a flight attendant.
Mejia and Olenick, who said they were sitting about two rows ahead of the man, moved to help after the situation became physical. They and other passengers restrained him with duct tape and secured him with zip ties supplied by a flight attendant, according to their accounts. Images from the flight showed the man secured to a seat with tape wrapped around his upper body. Authorities have not publicly identified him.
Mejia told CBS News that the man bit his hand during the struggle but did not break the skin. The witnesses also said the man had injuries that appeared to have been self-inflicted during the disturbance. Their descriptions have not been independently detailed by authorities, and officials have released few specifics about what happened before the crew decided to divert the aircraft.
American Airlines confirmed that Flight 618 diverted to Baltimore because of what it described as a disruptive customer. The airline said law enforcement assisted with removing the passenger before the aircraft continued to Newark. “The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority,” the airline said, adding that it does not tolerate violence.
The FBI’s Baltimore Field Office said agents responded to BWI after the diversion. The man was arrested on Maryland state charges and booked by Maryland Transportation Authority Police, according to the FBI. Officials had not released his name or the specific state charges as of Friday evening. The FBI said its agents were conducting interviews and would consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland about whether federal charges should be filed.
The FAA also opened an investigation into the disturbance. Federal aviation authorities can take enforcement action in cases involving passengers accused of assaulting, threatening, intimidating or interfering with airline crew members. The agency maintains a zero-tolerance policy toward unruly passenger behavior, while criminal investigations of conduct aboard commercial aircraft can involve the FBI and federal prosecutors.
The episode temporarily interrupted a routine trip between two major airports but did not prevent the flight from reaching its original destination. After officers removed the passenger in Baltimore, Flight 618 resumed its trip to Newark. American Airlines thanked its crew for its handling of the incident and passengers for their understanding.
As of Friday evening, authorities had not publicly identified the arrested man or disclosed the Maryland charges against him. The FBI was continuing interviews, the FAA investigation remained open, and federal prosecutors had not announced whether they would bring a separate case.
Author note: Last updated September 4, 2026.