A 67-year-old Arizona real-estate agent has lost his job after being identified as the American Airlines passenger who was duct-taped and zip-tied to his seat during a mid-air tirade filled with racist and homophobic slurs.
Arthur Layne Lundeen was removed from his position at Tucson-based Long Realty following the incident aboard Flight 618 on Thursday night, which forced the Dallas-to-Newark service to divert to Baltimore.
In a statement posted to Facebook on Sunday, the brokerage said it had learned of criminal charges filed against a former affiliated agent stemming from an incident on a commercial flight, and that it "promptly ended its affiliation with the individual." The firm added that he is no longer associated with or authorized to represent Long Realty in any capacity.
The company described the conduct laid out in reports of the incident as inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity and respect it expects from people affiliated with the business, saying it has "no tolerance" for behavior that falls so far short of those standards. Its statement closed with a note of sympathy for the passengers and crew caught up in the episode.
Lundeen's LinkedIn profile listed him as a vice president at the Tucson brokerage. His page had already been removed from the company's own website by the time the statement went out.
Passengers Stepped In Mid-Flight
Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer seated two rows ahead of Lundeen, told ABC News that the passenger became belligerent near the end of the flight, directing slurs and vulgar language at flight attendants and at women seated nearby.
Mejia and fellow traveler Richard Olenick moved to contain the situation themselves. Olenick said Mejia got up immediately, took the seat next to the passenger and began working to restrain him before the outburst escalated further.
Photographs taken on board show the result: duct tape wound across the man's head, hands and torso, fastening him to the seat, with his wrists bound together.
Arrested on Landing
American Airlines confirmed the flight was diverted to Baltimore because of a disruptive customer, and said the passenger was taken off the plane and arrested before the remaining travelers could continue on to Newark.
The FBI confirmed that Lundeen was arrested by Maryland Transportation Police. Court records show he faces state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
The bureau said it is conducting interviews to establish the facts of the case and will consult with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland on whether federal charges will follow.
