A Jordanian man sparked concern after boarding an international flight in Arizona despite having a canceled ticket and his boarding pass already flagged. Officials reported that the aircraft had to be evacuated when the passenger began pacing the aisles, refusing to take his seat.
An FBI affidavit reveals that Qais Ahmad Tirawi was able to get through TSA and onto an Air France flight to Paris at around 3:50 p.m. on Sunday, despite the fact that his ticket, which he purchased just under two hours before departure, had been canceled due to issues with the payment card used.
Tirawi’s route to Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport was peculiar; he reportedly left his rental car behind and discarded two jackets along the way, as noted in the affidavit. It’s worth mentioning that he had a history of troubles, being previously arrested at the same airport and committed to a psychiatric facility.
Documents indicate that while waiting in the boarding area, his suspicious behavior prompted another Air France passenger to alert an employee. Even though his boarding pass was tagged for review, he managed to board the plane after merely showing his passport from a distance, despite initially refusing to hand it over.
An Air France employee later admitted to checking only one of the passenger lists, missing Tirawi’s name altogether. Once on board, he continued to exhibit odd behavior, wandering the cabin and ignoring the captain’s commands to sit down.
In a concerning turn of events, when ordered to leave the plane, he allegedly typed a message on his phone that read, “Send the U.S. Marshals.” This led to a quick response from Phoenix police; they evacuated the plane, with Tirawi being the last passenger removed.
Upon questioning, he remained uncooperative, communicating by showing officers the same message on his phone while demanding to speak to sheriff’s deputies. He claimed to be a “citizen of the world” with “access to financial services” and stated he wouldn’t sit down because his assigned seat felt “suspicious”—though he didn’t elaborate on that point.
Tirawi’s brother in Jordan informed FBI agents that he was a student at Arizona State University and spoke fluent English. Details disclosed in the affidavit suggest Tirawi was dismissed from his job at PricewaterhouseCoopers in mid-2024 and struggled with substance abuse issues, including marijuana and sleep aids. He had prior encounters with law enforcement in Dubai for suspicious behavior and briefly sought mental health treatment there.
Despite being unemployed, Tirawi reportedly traveled often between the U.S. and the Middle East, staying in hotels. At the time of his arrest, he possessed approximately 20 credit cards, several driver’s licenses, multiple passports, a fake employee ID badge, and over $1,000 in cash.
Tirawi explained to an arresting officer that he intended to travel to Paris for shopping, claiming he discarded his jacket because he planned on buying a new one.
He now faces serious charges, including interfering with a flight crew, a federal felony, alongside a misdemeanor for entering a secure area of the airport unlawfully.
Air France has not yet responded to inquiries about the incident.
