Men who duct-taped disruptive passenger speak out after Newark flight diversion
The incident comes just days after another Newark-bound flight was diverted because of a disruptive passenger.
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Another flight headed to Newark has been diverted because of an unruly passenger, marking the second such incident in just a matter of days.
The FAA said a United Airlines flight traveling from Milan, Italy, to Newark was forced to land in Maine on Tuesday because of a disruptive passenger.
The incident comes less than a week after an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Newark was diverted to Baltimore after a passenger became disruptive onboard.
Richard O'Lenick and Juan Mejia, who were passengers on that flight, told News 12 they stepped in when the situation escalated.
"This passenger started yelling profanities," O'Lenick said.
"Everything was calm until it wasn't calm," Mejia added.
The two men said flight attendants worked to de-escalate the situation before it became physical.
"The flight attendants did the best they could to manage the situation. The situation turned physical," O'Lenick said.
Mejia said crew members handed him zip ties and duct tape, which were used to restrain the passenger.
Police in Maryland arrested 67-year-old Arthur Lundeen, of Arizona, after the flight landed. He was charged with disorderly conduct and second-degree assault.
Authorities said both incidents remain under investigation.
Security analyst Rich Kolko said reports of disruptive passengers have increased in recent years, though the incidents remain relatively rare compared with the number of people who fly each year.
The FAA says airlines have reported more than 1,200 unruly passenger incidents so far this year.
O'Lenick and Mejia said they were simply in the right place at the right time when crew members needed help.
