Updated
Updated · WBAL TV Baltimore · Sep 5
American Flight 618 Diverts to BWI After 1 Passenger Is Duct-Taped to Seat
Updated
Updated · WBAL TV Baltimore · Sep 5

American Flight 618 Diverts to BWI After 1 Passenger Is Duct-Taped to Seat

3 articles · Updated · WBAL TV Baltimore · Sep 5

Summary

  • American Airlines Flight 618 from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore after a first-class passenger turned violent, and police physically removed him when the plane landed.
  • Witnesses said passengers restrained the man before crew responded, then duct-taped him to his seat so the aircraft could land safely.
  • TMZ and a passenger account said he hit the traveler beside him, struck a computer and pushed a woman who tried to help, prompting three men to intervene.
  • American said law enforcement met the aircraft at BWI, deplaned the passenger and allowed the flight to continue; the incident remains under investigation.

Insights

With over 1,160 unruly passenger incidents reported this year, are airlines failing to properly screen travelers for potential midair violence?
How will authorities address the legal liabilities of passengers who use extreme measures like duct tape to restrain violent flyers?
Could this violent midair outburst have been a severe mental health crisis rather than intentional malice, and how should crews respond?