Layne Lundeen, 67, a Tucson real estate agent, has been fired from Long Realty after he was restrained with duct tape and zip ties on American Airlines Flight 618 following an alleged racist and homophobic outburst that forced the Dallas-to-Newark flight to divert to Baltimore. He was arrested and charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
A Tucson real estate agent has lost his job after video and eyewitness accounts of his behavior on a first-class flight went viral, forcing an emergency landing and, ultimately, his arrest.
What Happened on the Flight
American Airlines Flight 618, traveling from Dallas to Newark on Thursday, September 3, was forced to make an emergency landing in Baltimore due to a passenger’s disruptive behavior, according to People and ABC News.
Eyewitnesses told TMZ that the disturbance began when the passenger, seated in first class, started shouting about religion. When a Black flight attendant approached to try to de-escalate the situation, witnesses say the man directed a racial slur at her, along with homophobic and vulgar remarks aimed at crew members and fellow passengers.
The situation escalated quickly from there. Passenger Juan Mejia, a retired law enforcement officer, described the moment it turned physical to CBS News: “I turned around to look, and the poor gentleman that was sitting next to him in the aisle seat, the individual had his hands around his neck and was, like, assaulting him.”
Fellow passenger Richard Olenick corroborated the account of the racial slur directed at the flight attendant. Both Mejia and Olenick said they attempted to help the flight crew subdue the man, who allegedly fought back — Mejia said the man bit his arm during the struggle. Witnesses say the man also began hitting the passenger seated next to him, damaged a laptop, and struck a female passenger who tried to intervene, prompting other male passengers to step in as well.
Passengers and crew ultimately restrained the man using duct tape and zip ties, keeping him secured to his first-class seat for approximately 15 minutes until the plane landed.
Arrest and Charges
When the flight touched down in Baltimore, the man was arrested by Maryland Transportation Police and charged with second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, according to the Maryland Transportation Authority.
Identified as a Tucson Realtor
The passenger was subsequently identified by Arizona news outlet KVOA as 67-year-old Lundeen of Tucson. According to KVOA, Lundeen worked as a real estate agent, and his LinkedIn profile identified him as an Associate Broker, Realtor, Vice President, and member of the Executive Council at Long Realty Co., as well as a member of the company’s Tanque Verde Trio Team.
Long Realty Cuts Ties
Following the incident, Long Realty confirmed it had ended its professional relationship with Lundeen. The company told Tucson’s 13 News: “Upon learning of the incident, Long Realty promptly ended its affiliation with the individual. The individual is no longer associated with or authorized to represent Long Realty in any capacity.”
The company added that the conduct described in reports was inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect it expects from anyone affiliated with the firm.
