A disruptive passenger was restrained with flexible handcuffs and duct tape after becoming violent on an American Airlines flight that was forced to make an emergency landing in Baltimore.
American Airlines Flight 618 was travelling from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Newark when the crew reported a passenger disturbance, according to the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
Passengers Richard Olenick and Juan Mejia, who were seated in the first-class section, said the man began acting aggressively when the flight was more than halfway through its journey.
Olenick said the passenger became belligerent, began hitting the passenger seated next to him and then struck a woman who attempted to intervene.
A flight attendant tried to control the situation, but the passenger became increasingly agitated.
Mejia, a retired New Jersey police officer, and Olenick then stepped in after the situation became physical.
Olenick said the passenger was abusive and used racial and homophobic slurs.
A flight attendant provided Olenick, Mejia and another passenger with a zip tie, which they used to restrain the man's wrists.
However, the passenger continued to resist and reportedly bit Mejia and attempted to bite Olenick.
The three men then used duct tape provided by a flight attendant to further restrain him.
Olenick said they deliberately avoided placing tape over the passenger's mouth to ensure he could breathe properly.
For about 15 minutes, Olenick sat on the restrained passenger's lap to prevent him from getting up.
The aircraft was subsequently diverted and made an emergency landing at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport in Maryland.
Police from the Maryland Transportation Authority met the aircraft after it landed safely and arrested one man on state charges, according to the FBI.
The man's identity has not been released.
After the passenger was removed, the flight continued to Newark.
American Airlines said the safety and security of its passengers and crew remained its top priority and that it did not tolerate violence.
The FAA says more than 1,160 unruly passenger incidents have been reported so far this year.
The agency can also pursue civil penalties of more than US$43,000 against passengers who assault, threaten, intimidate or interfere with airline crew members.
Duct tape and flexible restraints are carried on many commercial aircraft and can be used by crew and passengers to restrain violent or disruptive individuals when necessary.
Source: RNZ
