New details about how stowaway got onto flight with photo of another passenger's boarding pass

ByTrevor Ault ABCNews logo
Monday, March 25, 2024
New details about security breach after stowaway takes photo of another passenger's boarding pass
New footage shows passenger successfully board wrong flight as new details emerge about security breach

There is new surveillance video of a serious airport security breach, showing how a man allegedly got on a flight without a ticket.

ABC News has obtained surveillance footage of the man accused of sneaking onto a Delta flight without a ticket.

The man seen in the green sweater is Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, of George, Texas. After talking and laughing with fellow passengers, he appears to snap a photo of another man's boarding pass.

The criminal complaint says he did this multiple times with multiple people.

In the video, you can watch as he then scans his phone to get on board.

"Digital technology has made traveling much easier, but it's not infallible," said ABC News contributor, Col Steve Ganyard. "In this case, we see that a simple QR code could be photographed from a paper copy and used to board an airplane.

According to the affidavit, when another passenger tried scanning her ticket, the system said she'd already boarded.

Fleurizard allegedly waited in the airplane bathroom, exiting as they began to taxi.

Then, when questioned by a flight attendant, he told her his name and a seat number, which wasn't in the system and he wasn't booked on any other flights.

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The plane then heading back to the gate, where Fleurizard was arrested.

He is now charged with felony stowaway.

"This guy would have succeeded if we hadn't been in the middle of spring break, where almost every airplane seat is sold out," Ganyard said. "If he'd walked in the back and he'd seen an open seat, he could have just gone and sat down, and nobody would've been the wiser."

In a statement, Delta says it's cooperating with law enforcement.

According to the criminal complaint, Fleurizard told authorities he made a mistake and he just wanted to get home