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Duct-tape passenger breaks silence after viral image

The 67-year-old was charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct after passengers restrained him with duct tape and zip ties, court records show.

  • On Tuesday, Layne Arthur Lundeen, 67, appeared in Annapolis District Court facing charges stemming from an American Airlines flight that diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport.
  • An American Airlines flight traveling from Dallas to Newark on September 3 diverted after Lundeen allegedly unleashed a racist and homophobic tirade, becoming "increasingly unruly" during a conversation with seat-mate Jonathan Cahn.
  • Lundeen claimed in court, "I don't remember any of what happened," while admitting he drank two screwdrivers before the incident. Authorities allege he struck a female passenger and later assaulted a police officer.
  • District Court Commissioner George Haag ordered Lundeen to abstain from alcohol and drugs pending his trial on October 19. The defendant faces second-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges.
  • Arizona real estate company officials fired Lundeen following the viral incident, publicly condemning his behavior. Lundeen's attorney, Anatoly Smolkin, has declined to comment on the pending charges.
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Layne Lundeen, 67, spoke for the first time about the episode that led him to be tied with duct tape and hugs to a first-class armchair during an American Airlines flight on September 3. In a hearing held the following day in Annapolis, Maryland, the Arizona real estate broker said he did not remember what happened on board. The audio of the hearing was obtained by The Baltimore Banner and released on Wednesday (16). Understand: Drunk passenger …

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The LADbible broke the news in Manchester, United Kingdom on Wednesday, September 16, 2026.
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