An Arizona-based realty company has ended its affiliation with an agent following a disruptive incident on an American Airlines flight, where he was duct-taped to his seat after allegedly hurling slurs. Long Realty announced Sunday that it had promptly terminated its relationship with Arthur Layne Lundeen, 67, after becoming aware of reports concerning his alleged behavior.
"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 stated on Facebook. "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."
The incident occurred on American Airlines flight 618 from Dallas to Newark on Thursday night. According to reports, Lundeen became belligerent, making derogatory remarks to airline staff and other passengers, including racial and anti-gay slurs. The disruption led to the flight being diverted to Baltimore.
Passengers on board reported that Lundeen was seated two rows behind them when he began his outburst. Juan Mejia, a former law enforcement officer traveling on the flight, stated that he and another passenger, Richard Olenick, intervened to restrain Lundeen. Olenick described Lundeen as being "duct-taped to the chair and his wrists bound together" in an effort to contain him.
Upon landing in Baltimore, Lundeen was removed from the aircraft and arrested by Maryland Transportation Police. The FBI confirmed its involvement and is conducting interviews to gather facts. Federal charges are being considered in consultation with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Maryland. Court records indicate Lundeen faces state-level charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct.
Lundeen's LinkedIn profile previously listed him as a vice president at Long Realty in Tucson, but the profile has since been removed from the company's website. Long Realty expressed its thoughts were with the passengers and crew affected by the incident.