Man Pretends to Be Flight Attendant for Free Flights

A man from South Florida was able to book over 120 free flights by impersonating a flight attendant, according to the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Tyrone Alexander, 35, was found guilty of federal charges after he entered a restricted area at an airport on June 5, as noted in a statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida.

It appears he utilized these free flights from 2018 to 2024, which were usually reserved for actual pilots and flight attendants. Alexander, who claimed to be a flight attendant for another airline, managed to avoid payments altogether.

He allegedly used required credentials like the airline’s name, his employment date, and badge numbers. Over the years, he claimed to have worked for seven different airlines and used approximately 30 various badge numbers and employment dates.

“The evidence presented during the trial indicated that Alexander disguised himself as a flight attendant for three other airlines. Ultimately, he managed to book more than 120 flights by falsely claiming he worked as a flight attendant,” the statement detailed.

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) looked into the case and expressed satisfaction with Alexander’s conviction on all five counts against him. A spokesperson mentioned that he got on the flights by fraudulently obtaining boarding passes, but he still underwent all TSA security checks, including identity verification and screening, which deemed him no threat to passengers from various airlines.

“The TSA is focused on the safety of the traveling public and will continue to pursue legal action against those who violate air travel laws,” they added.

Sentencing for Alexander is scheduled for August 25th.