Passengers restrain disruptive man on American Airlines flight

An American Airlines flight from Dallas Fort Worth to Newark diverted to Baltimore on September 3, 2026, after a passenger became disruptive and allegedly assaulted others. Flight 618, operated with a Boeing 737-800, landed at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport around 22:15 local time, according to the Federal Aviation Administration. The crew had reported a passenger disturbance.

Passengers aboard the flight said the man, seated in first class, began directing racial and homophobic slurs at others before becoming physically aggressive. According to one passenger's account, he struck a seated passenger and hit a woman who intervened. A retired New Jersey police officer traveling on the flight attempted to help, and the man bit him. The man also tried to bite another passenger.

Crew provided a flexible restraint for the man's wrists, but it was not sufficient. Passengers then used duct tape supplied by the crew to secure him to his seat. They left his mouth uncovered so he could breathe. One passenger sat on the restrained man's lap for about 15 minutes during the descent. Police boarded the aircraft after landing and arrested him.