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Layne Lundeen, a 67-year-old man who was duct-taped to his seat on an American Airlines flight after being accused of making racial slurs and choking his seatmate, spoke publicly about the incident for the first time. The alleged outburst occurred during a flight from Dallas to New Jersey on September 3; it led to the plane’s diversion to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport where Lundeen was arrested. He appeared in court the next day facing charges including second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, maintaining he does not remember the incident beyond talking with his seatmate Jonathan Cahn, a Messianic rabbi.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-17,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
On September 3, Layne Lundeen, a 67-year-old Arizona realtor, was duct-taped to his seat and restrained with zip ties during an American Airlines flight from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark, New Jersey. Passengers restrained him after he allegedly became disruptive and verbally abusive, shouting racial slurs at the crew and choking a passenger seated next to him, Jonathan Cahn, who is a Messianic rabbi and author. The plane was diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) where Lundeen was arrested for second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
The following day, in Annapolis, Maryland, Lundeen appeared in court but claimed he had no recollection of the incident, stating, "I don’t remember any of what happened." He also questioned his charges when told by Judge George Haag that he allegedly assaulted a police officer. After reviewing the accusations with his glasses on, Lundeen remarked, “Oh my God. What a mess. I don’t remember any of it.” His next court appearance is scheduled for October 19.
Lundeen's job was terminated after the incident went viral, and despite initial reports suggesting racial slurs were made, there are conflicting claims about what exactly transpired on the flight, with some passengers unsure if a racial slur or homophobic comments were heard.
Written for “Duct-Taped Plane Passenger Speaks” on 2026-09-17,
grounded in this article and the 3 other(s) covering the same event.
Why this leaning score
This article does not take a side on a contested political
question, so it has no leaning score. That is an
answer rather than a gap: a match report or a rescue can be warmly
or critically written without being left or right, and scoring it
anyway is how approval of a subject gets recorded as a political
position.
No political leaning scored for article 14746 · logged 2026-09-17
Layne Lundeen, the man who made headlines after he had to be duct-taped to his American Airlines seat following an alleged violent outburst, has spoken publicly for the first time about the incident.
asserted
he → make → incident
Flight attendants and passengers on an American Airlines flight between Dallas and New Jersey on September 3 duct-taped Lundeen to his seat after he allegedly began shouting racial slurs at the flight crew and choking his seatmate.
uncertain
he → tap → seatmate
The flight was diverted to Baltimore-Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where he was arrested.
asserted
he → divert → Airport
The following day, Lundeen, 67, appeared in an Annapolis court to face second-degree assault and disorderly conduct charges, according to the Baltimore Banner.
uncertain
Lundeen → appear → Banner
During his hearing, he said that all he remembers was talking to a man in the seat next to him, Jonathan Cahn, who is a Messianic rabbi and author.
asserted
who → say → him
The Baltimore Banner obtained the court transcripts of the hearing.
asserted
Banner → obtain → hearing
“I don’t remember any of what happened,” Lundeen said.
asserted
Lundeen → remember → any
District Court Commissioner George Haag told Lundeen his charges, noting that he allegedly assaulted a police officer.
uncertain
he → tell → officer
“I assaulted a police officer?
asserted
I → assault → officer
Is that what it says?” Lundeen asked, noting that he couldn't read his charges because he did not have his glasses.
asserted
he → say → glasses
After having the charges read to him, Lundeen said, "Oh my God, what a mess," before insisting that he did not remember anything.
Cahn — whom The New York Times called "an entrepreneurial doomsday prophet" in 2019 and who holds up President Donald Trump as a Biblical figure — spoke to the Baltimore Banner in a phone interview about the incident.
According to Cahn, he and Lundeen spoke on the plane for about two hours, but the conversation took a turn when the topic turned to religion.
uncertain
topic → have → religion
He claims Lundeen began shouting profanities and blasphemy in response to him.
uncertain
Lundeen → claim → him
“He was slurring everything and everybody,” Cahn told the paper, noting that some of the remarks were allegedly anti-semitic.
uncertain
some → slur → remarks
When the plane landed, police took Lundeen into custody and he allegedly struck an officer in the chest.
Following the incident, Lundeen, Long Realty, which worked with Lundeen, said it severed ties with the man.
“The conduct described in the reports is wholly inconsistent with the professionalism, integrity, compassion, and respect for others that Long Realty expects from those affiliated with the company,” the company said in a statement.
uncertain
company → land → statement
“We expect those associated with our company to uphold those values, and we have no tolerance for conduct that so clearly falls short of those expectations.”
asserted
that → expect → expectations
Haag ultimately released Lundeen on his own recognizance and ordered that he not use alcohol or drugs except for medicine he's been prescribed.
asserted
he → release → medicine
His next court date is scheduled for October 19.
asserted
date → schedule → October
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