Most airline passengers opt to catch up on sleep, watch a movie or curl up with a good book during a flight.
Videos by Wide Open Country
One American Airlines passenger instead decided to cause chaos and was publicly shamed for his actions.
During a flight from Dallas Fort Worth International Airport to Newark Liberty International Airport, a passenger began shouting about religious themes and the afterlife. When a Black flight attendant requested that he lower his voice, the irate passenger allegedly hurled racial and homophobic slurs at the airline staffer.
According to TMZ, the man's behavior became more intense and violent as he hit the passenger next to him and struck the guy's computer.
Unruly American Airlines Passenger Duct-Taped to Seat
To subdue the outraged passenger, flight attendants offered duct tape to three male passengers to restrain him.
Despite his attempts to fight off the restraints, photos obtained by TMZ show the man wrapped up like a mummy. His head and torso were strapped to the seat, while his wrists were duct-taped together.
Due to his vocal and violent outbursts, the flight diverted to Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport. When the plane landed, law enforcement escorted the unruly passenger off the aircraft.
"On Sept. 3,??American Airlines flight 618 diverted to Baltimore??(BWI)??due to a disruptive customer," the airline said in a statement. "Upon arrival, law??enforcement??met the??aircraft and??assisted with??deplaning??the??customer before??the??flight continued??to??its??destination. The??safety and??security of our customers??and??team members are our??top??priority. We do??not tolerate violence.??We??thank??our team members??for??their??professionalism and??our customers for??their??understanding."
Per TMZ, the FBI is gathering facts and consulting with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Maryland to determine if federal charges will be filed.
Whether or not he faces legal trouble, the passenger has likely boarded his last flight.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has a strict zero-tolerance policy on unruly behavior.
Unruly behavior can affect passengers' TSA PreCheck eligibility or land them on the no-fly list.
Furthermore, the FAA can fine passengers who misbehave on flights.
As part of the FAA's Reauthorization Bill, the FAA can propose up to $43,658 per violation for unruly passenger cases. One incident can result in multiple violations. Passengers who engage in unruly behavior can face fines from the FAA or be prosecuted on criminal charges.
