NEW YORK - Icelandair says it had to restrain an unruly passenger on a flight from Reykjavik to New York City because he was hitting people, screaming profanities and spitting.

Thursday's flight was gaining attention after a photograph circulated online purporting to show the passenger tied to his seat with tape and plastic restraints.

A Reddit user who goes by the name Mezane posted a photo of the subdued 46-year-old passenger.

“He drank an entire bottle of some duty free alcohol. Then he tried grabbing the women who were sitting next him screaming that we're going to crash,” Mezane wrote. “Finally he started choking  a guy next to him and that's when a huge crowd restrained him and tied him up. This was 2 hours into a 6 hour flight.”

Icelandair spokesman Gudjon Arngrimsson said passengers and crew restrained the man after his behavior became threatening. He said airlines commonly carry plastic handcuffs and tape to restrain potentially dangerous passengers.

The airline says police took the man off the plane after it landed at Kennedy Airport.