The man who had to be duct-taped to his seat after the now-infamous attack aboard American Airlines Flight 618 is finally speaking out—and what he says he remembers may be just as startling as what happened at 30,000 feet.
Nothing.
According to the New York Post, 67-year-old Arthur “Layne” Lundeen told a Maryland court that he has no memory of the violent Sept. 3 episode that forced the Dallas-to-Newark flight to divert to Baltimore.
“I don’t remember any of what happened,” Lundeen said during the court proceeding, according to the Post, which cited audio obtained by The Banner.
When informed of another allegation against him, Lundeen appeared stunned.
“I assaulted a police officer? Is that what it says?” he asked, according to the Post.
Then came another admission: “Oh my God. What a mess. I don’t remember any of it.”
The bizarre claim adds yet another layer to a story that has already raised serious questions about what unfolded aboard Flight 618.
As Charisma previously reported, Lundeen was sitting beside New York Times bestselling author and Messianic rabbi Jonathan Cahn before the encounter erupted into chaos. Cahn has described an almost instantaneous transformation in Lundeen’s demeanor after their previously friendly conversation turned toward the power of God.
“I have never seen someone change in a split second from light to dark as I saw then, as if something had taken him over,” Cahn previously said.
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According to Cahn, Lundeen began cursing Jesus before the encounter became physical. Other passengers eventually intervened, and Lundeen was restrained with duct tape and zip ties. The Federal Aviation Administration confirmed that Flight 618 landed safely at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport after the crew reported a passenger disturbance.
Now Lundeen says he doesn’t remember any of it.
For Christians watching this story unfold, the extraordinary details may bring to mind one of Scripture’s most dramatic accounts of demonic bondage.
In Mark 5, Jesus encounters a demonized man living among the tombs. Scripture says no one could restrain him anymore: “not even with a chain.” He had repeatedly broken chains and shackles, and no human being possessed the strength to subdue him.
Then Jesus arrived.
After Christ commanded the unclean spirits to leave, the scene changed completely. The people came to Jesus and saw the man who had once been uncontrollable “sitting there, clothed and in his right mind.”
There is another biblical detail that makes the setting of this encounter particularly striking. In Ephesians 2:2, Paul describes Satan as “the prince of the power of the air.” This detail makes an already bizarre encounter all the more remarkable since the encounter took place 30,000 feet in the sky.
Ultimately, Lundeen’s startling admission adds another layer to an encounter already marked by chaos, restraint and the name of Jesus. For believers, it is also a sobering reminder that Scripture calls us to stay alert to the spiritual battle taking place all around us.
Abby Trivett is a writer and editor for Charisma Media and has a passion for sharing the gospel through the written word. She holds two degrees from Regent University, a B.A. in Communication with a concentration in Journalism and a Master of Arts in Journalism. She is the author of the newly released book, The Power of Suddenly: Discover How God Can Change Everything in a Moment. For interviews and media inquiries, please contact [email protected].
