Man from Texas Arrested for Trying to Illegally Board Flight
Incident at Salt Lake City
A man from George, Texas landed in hot water after he attempted to illicitly board a Delta Air Lines flight from Salt Lake City to Austin. Identified as Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, he now faces a felony charge of being a stowaway on an aircraft. The incident occurred on a sunny Sunday afternoon, and his ingenious – albeit illegal – scheme was thwarted only once the flight was fully boarded.
Detailing the Deceit
Reports indicate that Fleurizard had allegedly photographed the boarding passes of other passengers when they were not looking. He then used his phone pretending to be his boarding pass and managed to board the plane. His unusual behavior caught the attention of flight attendants when he opened a storage space for emergency equipment.
Subsequently, Fleurizard moved to the lavatory at the back of the plane. Upon exiting – the plane had started to taxi to the runway by that time – he claimed to the flight attendant that he was assigned to seat 21F.
Caught in the Act
However, the seat was already occupied by a girl traveling alone. When a crew member cross-verified, it was confirmed that she was a legitimate, ticketed passenger. A quick search for Fleurizard’s name in the records for the Austin-bound flight – and for any other Delta flight – produced no results. This flagged the man as an unauthorized passenger, leading to the plane returning to the gate where officers were waiting.
Examination of Security Footage
Subsequent scrutiny of the surveillance footage from the boarding area reinforced the crew’s suspicions. The recording clearly showed Fleurizard capturing images of multiple passengers’ phones and boarding passes while they were distracted.
In a surprising twist, it was revealed that Fleurizard was originally an intended passenger on a Southwest Airlines flight using a buddy pass provided by a friend. However, due to the previous two flights being full, he was re-booked for a later flight on Sunday. It appears Fleurizard decided to bypass this delay by resorting to his photographic ploy.
Crime and Consequence
As of now, no attorney is listed for Fleurizard, and he continues to be held in custody. If convicted, he faces a potential maximum penalty of stowaway charges which can be up to five years in prison and a substantial fine. The case being felonious in nature, could lead to severe consequences for the accused. As investigations continue, it serves as a stark reminder for all passengers to adhere to protocols and comply with airline regulations for smooth and safe travel.