Passenger restrained after mid-air incident on American Airlines flight

A 67-year-old male passenger caused a major disturbance on American Airlines flight 618 from Dallas to Newark on the evening of Thursday, September 3, 2026. The individual allegedly directed a stream of racist and homophobic slurs at a neighboring passenger and subsequently assaulted a flight attendant who attempted to intervene. According to reports, the situation escalated into physical violence, during which the man struck his seatmate and damaged a laptop computer, while also pushing a woman who tried to assist.

In response to the escalating chaos, the flight crew and fellow passengers worked together to restrain the man in his seat using zip ties and industrial tape. The flight was forced to divert and make an emergency landing in Baltimore, where local authorities took the passenger into custody. No further injuries to the crew or other passengers were reported. The incident remains under investigation following the landing of the aircraft.