A first-class passenger on an American Airlines flight from Dallas/Fort Worth to Newark was duct-taped to his seat by fellow travelers after he launched into a violent, slur-filled outburst that forced the plane to divert to Baltimore.

What Happened Onboard

According to video obtained by TMZ, the seemingly intoxicated man began yelling about Jesus and damnation before turning his anger on a flight attendant who tried to de-escalate the situation, hurling a racial slur and an anti-gay epithet at him. When a woman passenger stepped in after the man struck the person seated beside him and damaged their laptop, he shoved her too. That's when three men moved in, pinning him down while a flight attendant supplied duct tape and zip ties.

Photos from the flight show tape wrapped across the man's forehead, chin, chest, and wrists, with a passenger partially seated on him to keep him still. Small flecks of blood were visible on his hands and forearms by the time the plane touched down in Baltimore, where state transportation police took him into custody.

The safety and security of our customers and team members is our top priority and we do not tolerate violence.
American Airlines spokesperson

A Pattern in the Sky

This wasn't an isolated flash of turbulence. In October 2025, a passenger on a Minneapolis-to-Newark flight erupted with anti-LGBTQ+ conspiracy theories, claiming the community had

Source: LGBTQ Nation

Cover photo: Thomas / Pexels

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Passengers Duct-Tape Slur-Shouting Man to Seat After Mid-Flight Attack