New Security Footage Shows Texas Man Successfully Sneaking Onto Plane

[Eugene]

Source: Gizmodo

New Security Footage Shows Texas Man Successfully Sneaking Onto Plane

The 26-year-old was captured photographing the boarding passes of fellow travelers.

By Matt Novak
Published Yesterday

When news first broke that a Texas man had successfully been able to sneak onto a plane last week in Salt Lake City using nothing but a photo of someone else’s ticket, many wondered how he actually accomplished that. And new airport surveillance footage obtained by ABC News is giving us some clues.

Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, a 26-year-old from Texas, was arrested on March 17 and charged with being a stowaway on a Delta Air Lines flight that was departing from Salt Lake City. Fleurizard was apparently acting strangely after boarding the flight and hanging out in the bathroom before a flight attendant put it together that he wasn’t supposed to be on the flight. When the flight attendant asked what seat he was in, there was already someone sitting in it, raising a red flag and causing the plane to return to the gate.

But how did he actually get on the flight? As new footage published by ABC News shows, he was photographing tickets from other passengers without them noticing, giving him access to QR codes that could then be used to board the flight. Fleurizard photographed different boarding passes multiple times with multiple people, finally using one of the images to scan the QR code from his phone to get access to the plane, as you can see in the screenshot below.

The footage published by ABC News only appears to show Fleurizard photographing one other passenger’s paper ticket, but prosecutors have alleged he also took photographs of the phones of other passengers. One of the other passengers was a “minor female,” according to the indictment and it was her boarding pass that presented a problem when she tried to board and the system said she had already boarded.

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Read more: https://gizmodo.com/new-security-footage-texas-man-utah-boarding-pass-phone-1851364350

[keithbvadu2]

1. So there were 3 Mathematicians and 3 Engineers... ...

So there were 3 Mathematicians and 3 Engineers...
... and they were all traveling to the same conference. At the train station, the mathematicians each bought a train ticket, and the engineers only bought one to share between the three of them.

"What a bunch of idiots," the mathematicians said. "When the ticket master comes through, they'll be kicked off the train!"

Sure enough, on board the train, they could hear the ticket master in the next car, saying, "Tickets please."

The three engineers ran into the train bathroom and closed the door. The ticket master came in and knocked on the door and said, "Tickets please."

They slipped the ticket under the door and the ticket master moved on.

"That's brilliant!" The mathematicians exclaimed. "We should do that on our way home!"

After the conference ended and they were traveling home the mathematicians all bought one ticket to share between them... and the engineers didn't buy ANY ticket at all!

"What a bunch of idiots," the mathematicians said. "What are they going to do when the ticket master comes through? They'll be kicked off the train."

On the train they soon heard the ticket master in the next car saying, "Tickets please."

All three mathematicians ran into one bathroom and closed the door. All three engineers ran into the other bathroom and closed the door. As soon as both doors were closed, an engineer came out of the bathroom and knocked on the mathematicians door and said, "Tickets please."

[GreenWave]

2. Seems like he would knowwhat to do.

It was reported earlier that he was an Apple accountant.

[ShazzieB]

3. Can someone plrase explain somehing to me?

The last time I flew anywhere was over 30 years ago, so I am not up on how things work here days. I hope someone can explain this to me:

Fleurizard photographed different boarding passes multiple times with multiple people, finally using one of the images to scan the QR code from his phone to get access to the plane...

What does scanning a QR code have to do with getting on an airplane? The last time I flew, QR codes didn't exist, and neither did smart phones. You had to physically show your boarding pass to airline staff to board the plane.

I know I probably sound like a 🦕 , so please be kind!

[Eugene]

4. It's called a "mobile boarding pass." It is stored in an e-wallet app on your smartphone.

If you check in online, you don't have to print out your boarding pass
with some Airlines (e.g. American).

Both the printed and mobile phone passes have QR codes which are scanned.
The mobile pass gets rid of the physical paper. When it's time to show your pass,
you open the app and show the associated QR code on screen.
I haven't flown with it, but I have used a similar app
with commuter train tickets. Have your phone out with the app open and
and the QR code visible.

The problem is security, as brightly lit smartphone screens are more conspicuous
than paper.

Save time, save paper
Once you get your boarding pass, just scan the barcode on the screen at airport security checkpoints and at the gate during boarding for American flights. It's fast and convenient!

https://www.aa.com/i18n/travel-info/travel-tools/mobile-boarding-pass.jsp