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Disruptive passenger duct-taped to first-class seat as plane makes emergency landing
cnn.com • • business
Key Points:
- A disruptive passenger on American Airlines Flight 618 from Dallas to Newark was restrained with flexible handcuffs and duct tape after becoming belligerent and physically aggressive, prompting an emergency landing in Baltimore.
- Passengers Richard Olenick and retired police officer Juan Mejia helped restrain the man after he used racial and homophobic slurs, assaulted nearby passengers, and bit Mejia during the incident.
- The restrained passenger was arrested by Maryland Transportation Authority Police upon landing, and the flight resumed to Newark after his removal.
- American Airlines emphasized the importance of safety and condemned violence, while the FAA reported over 1,160 unruly passenger incidents in 2024 and can impose fines exceeding $43,000 for interfering with crew members.
- Duct tape and flexible handcuffs are standard equipment on commercial flights for restraining violent passengers, as seen in similar incidents earlier this year.
