US Woman Slips Past Airport Security, Boards Flight Without A Ticket

A woman in the United States sneaked past a Nashville airport security checkpoint and boarded an American Airlines flight heading for Los Angeles without a boarding pass or identification earlier this month. The flyer hopped a barrier in an unmanned area of the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) screening line at Nashville International Airport, where passengers are required to show their identification, as per a report in the New York Post.

"TSA is reviewing the circumstances of this matter, but can confirm that the traveler in question was physically screened, along with their carry-on items, without incident at the Nashville International Airport security checkpoint on February 7th before boarding the flight. TSA and its airline partners are cooperating with the ongoing law enforcement investigation," the agency told USA TODAY.  

American Airlines acknowledged the incident, stating that it was detected somewhere along the approximately five-hour journey. "On Feb. 7, American Airlines flight 1393 was met by law enforcement upon arrival at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). Safety and security are our highest priorities, and we are assisting law enforcement in the investigation," a spokesperson informed the New York Post.

The woman was detained and interrogated by the FBI. She hasn't been charged as of yet. The agency stated that the inquiry is still underway.

However, this is not the first time such an incident has taken place. A Russian man who flew to the US without a visa, passport, or ticket was found guilty in a US federal court of being a stowaway on an aircraft. Sergey Ochigava, 46, was convicted by a jury in a California court on Friday.

According to court documents, Mr Ochigava, a Russian-Israeli dual national, departed Copenhagen on a Scandinavian Airlines flight and landed at Los Angeles International Airport on November 4, 2023. He had no passport or visa, and officials also couldn't find him on the passenger list for any flights. He was subsequently arrested and has been in custody since November. 

According to the flight crew, most of them noticed Mr Ochigava on the flight, saying that he wandered around the plane and kept changing his seat. He allegedly asked for two meals during each meal service, and at one point attempted to eat the chocolate that belonged to members of the cabin crew.

When officials searched his bag, they found what appeared to be Russian and Israeli identification cards, but no passport. The suspect, in an interview, told an FBI agent that he was confused, had not slept for three days, and couldn't remember how he boarded a plane without a ticket, boarding pass, or passport.

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