Arizona realtor’s employer finally issues a response after alleged American Airlines meltdown got him duct-taped to his seat

A Tucson-based real estate firm has responded days after one of its agents became the focus of a viral mid-flight incident that ended with a police response, an arrest, and criminal charges. According to the New York Post, Long Realty stated over the weekend, addressing what it called “concerning criminal charges” tied to a former agent’s conduct aboard a commercial flight, though the company did not name him outright or what happened in the air.

The former agent is Arizona realtor Arthur Layne Lundeen, 67, who was identified as the man restrained by fellow passengers after he allegedly hurled racist and homophobic slurs at a flight attendant and other travelers on American Airlines Flight 618. Long Realty confirmed it had ended its affiliation with him.

“Long Realty is aware of reports concerning criminal charges filed against a former affiliated real estate agent arising from an incident that allegedly occurred during a commercial flight,” the company wrote in a Facebook statement Sunday. “Upon learning of the incident, Long Realty promptly ended its affiliation with the individual. The individual is no longer associated with or authorized to represent Long Realty in any capacity.”

Long Realty cuts ties and speaks out

Lundeen was listed a vice president at the firm, though his profile has since been removed from the company site. The company said, “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 statement added, “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. Our thoughts are with the passengers, crew members, and others affected by this incident.”

The flight, which had been traveling from Dallas to Newark, was diverted to Baltimore after Lundeen allegedly became disruptive, and he was taken into custody once the plane landed. A former law enforcement officer on board, Juan Mejia, told ABC News that Lundeen was seated two rows behind him when things turned ugly.

“The gentleman sitting two rows behind us started becoming belligerent, making derogatory remarks to the staff of American Airlines and other passengers, racial slurs, vulgar language, very offensive to the women,” Mejia said. His friend Richard Olenick said Mejia “got up right away and jumped in the seat right next to the passenger and began working on restraining him in order to keep the situation contained.”

Lundeen now faces state charges of second-degree assault and disorderly conduct, and the FBI has said it is still weighing whether federal charges are warranted. “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,” the bureau said. The incident comes amid a rough stretch of headlines for American Airlines this year, though this one had little to do with delays and everything to do with one passenger’s alleged behavior.

Reaction online has been mixed, with some commenters focusing on alcohol and others questioning what led up to the incident. One commenter wrote, “Time to stop serving alcohol at the airports..?” while another pushed back on that framing, arguing, “The real problem is to many people taking anti-anxiety/depressants and mixing alcohol with them.” 

A third reader focused on what still feels unexplained, writing, “‘The gentleman sitting two rows behind us started becoming belligerent.’ I still want to know why he became belligerent. I am not saying it excuses his behavior, but it seems to be missing from all the news reports.”