CALIFORNIA— A Delta Air Lines (DL) passenger waiting for a flight to Seattle allegedly breached security at John Wayne Airport (SNA) on October 6, stole an Alaska Airlines (AS) airport tug and crashed it into another vehicle before attempting to take an American Airlines (AA) lavatory service truck.
Airport police arrested the passenger after the unusual airfield incident, which briefly disrupted aircraft movements.
The incident began at about 5:30 p.m. local time when the passenger left the terminal through an access door at Gate 12 and entered the airfield.
He drove the Alaska Airlines tug toward Gate 7, where he collided with another vehicle, then abandoned it and attempted to take the American Airlines truck before police intervened.
26-Year-Old Steals an Airport Tug
Airport officials said the stolen tug was used for moving aircraft or luggage equipment around the airfield. The vehicle was associated with Alaska Airlines, although later reporting identified Alliance Ground International as the company that owns the tug.
The passenger, identified by authorities as 26-year-old Skyler Jay Barr of Everett, Washington, was arrested on suspicion of vehicle theft, trespassing, and vandalism.
Authorities took him to a hospital for evaluation following the crash, while the investigation into how he reached the airfield continued.
The sequence moved from the stolen tug to an attempted takeover of an American Airlines lavatory-service truck.
Airport police stopped the passenger before he could drive away with the second vehicle, preventing the incident from escalating further.
Flights Briefly Halted at John Wayne
The security breach prompted a temporary interruption to aircraft movements at John Wayne Airport.
Controllers alerted pilots about the stolen tug, while airport crews inspected the route between Gates 12 and 7 for debris or other hazards.
The Gate 7 area remained closed for about 10 minutes as authorities responded and crews checked the airfield.
Although air-traffic-control communications referred to a ground stop, airport officials said no official ground stop was issued, and normal aircraft movement resumed shortly afterward.
Airport officials said the incident did not have a lasting impact on overall operations, View From the Wing flagged.
The brief disruption nevertheless created a significant security response because an unauthorized person had reached an active airfield and gained access to airport ground equipment.
Delta Cooperates with the Investigators
Delta said it has zero tolerance for unlawful behavior and is cooperating fully with law enforcement. The airline also emphasized that passenger and employee safety and security remain its priorities.
The incident involved equipment belonging to multiple airlines despite the passenger being booked on Delta’s Seattle flight. No aircraft collision was reported, and the available reports did not indicate that any aircraft sustained damage.
John Wayne Airport serves the Orange County area and handles more than 11 million passengers annually, making the security breach notable even though airport operations returned to normal relatively quickly.
Authorities have not publicly established why the passenger left the terminal or attempted to take the airport vehicles.
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