An American Airlines passenger was duct-taped to his seat for being too disruptive.
The flight, from Dallas-Fort Worth to Newark, was forced to stop at Baltimore on Thursday night after the passenger began to ‘put everyone at risk’.
He reportedly began yelling and ‘assaulting the passenger next to him’.
A flight attendant had attempted to calm the man, who allegedly responded with a racial slur and made homophobic comments.
Fellow passenger Juan Mejia, who is a former law enforcement worker, told CBS: ‘Just like a light switch, all of a sudden, it went from quiet to yelling and chaos.
‘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.’
With the help of passenger Richard Olenick, Juan restrained the man by using zip ties and wrapping him in duct tape.
The flight was forced to be diverted.
American Airlines said: ‘The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence.
‘We thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding.’
The FBI said: ‘The FBI is currently conducting interviews to gather the facts and will consult with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed.’
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