NEW YORK- According to various reports, a British passenger, Craig Sturt, managed to fly from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) in New York on Christmas Eve (2023) without a ticket or a passport.
The 46-year-old was apprehended upon landing in New York and subsequently repatriated to the U.K. on a charter flight, as reported by the Telegraph.
British Passenger Flew Without Passport
Investigations suggest that Sturt, who stands at 6 feet tall, allegedly slipped behind other passengers during both the passport check and boarding processes for the British Airways (BA) flight.
Despite Heathrow officials asserting that Sturt must have undergone security screening, there is no provided explanation for how he successfully navigated security and customs checks without any proper documents, according to Sky News.
According to Sky News, Heathrow officials maintained that Sturt must have undergone security screening; nevertheless, they failed to offer an explanation regarding how he successfully passed security and customs checks without proper documents.
A spokesperson informed the outlet, “All people who go airside are subject to security screening, including the individual involved in this case.”
Sturt managed to board a Boeing 787 Dreamliner at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 without a ticket, authorities revealed to Sky News. However, security at Kennedy Airport proved to be more stringent, leading to Sturt’s apprehension when he attempted to clear customs without the required documentation.
Strict Charges
According to Sky News, U.S. authorities arranged for Sturt to be flown back to the U.K. on Christmas Day, where he was subsequently detained upon arrival. He faces charges of fraud and offenses under the Aviation Security Act.
Although Sturt was scheduled to appear in court on January 25, he failed to show up, as reported by Sky News. Consequently, a warrant has been issued for his arrest, and he is currently evading law enforcement.
London police stated to Sky News, “We continue to collaborate with all our partners to assess and strengthen the already robust security measures in place, which are consistently reviewed as part of the broader security partnership.”
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