A major security breach unfolded at London Heathrow Airport over the weekend, after a man managed to board a British Airways flight without a passport, ticket, or boarding pass. The incident, which occurred on Saturday morning, has sparked serious concerns about airport security protocols.
The Unauthorised Boarding
The traveller, who has not been publicly named, gained access to a British Airways Airbus A320 bound for Oslo, Norway. The flight, BA768, was scheduled to depart from Terminal Three at 7.20am. According to witness accounts and airport sources, the man first tailgated his way through automatic gates at the entrance to the terminal's security screening area.
After passing through what the airport described as 'full security screening', he then approached the departure gate. There, he allegedly pretended to be part of a family who were having their passports and boarding passes checked in the usual manner. By blending in with the group, he avoided the final document inspection and walked onto the aircraft.
Discovery and Arrest Onboard
The breach was only discovered once the plane was fully boarded. Passenger Mike LaCorte, who was travelling with his wife, described the scene. 'This chap moved around until the plane filled up. And then a member of the cabin crew went over to speak to them. And it was clear that this person didn't have any boarding pass or anything at all,' he told reporters.
LaCorte described the individual as a white man in his 'late twenties or early thirties', wearing an off-white tracksuit and carrying a small rucksack. With no assigned seat, the man had been moving between seats that belonged to other passengers.
Once alerted, the cabin crew began mapping his movements and searching overhead lockers. Airport security and armed police were called to the aircraft, and the man was removed and arrested.
Major Disruption and Public Reaction
The incident caused significant disruption for all legitimate passengers. Everyone was forced to disembark and pass through security screening for a second time. Sniffer dogs were brought in to search the airliner. Mike LaCorte reported that the entire ordeal caused a delay of approximately three hours.
The event quickly drew shocked reactions on social media. One user on X wrote, 'Good grief, how can that happen in this day and age?' Another commented on the audacity of the breach, noting the individual had not only tailgated security but also slipped past gate agents.
An insightful reply on the platform suggested the tactic relied on gate staff being distracted by a larger group: 'They check the faces of the passports shown, but may lose count of how many are waved on.'
The breach raises urgent questions about security procedures at one of the world's busiest airports. Both Heathrow Airport and British Airways have been contacted for comment regarding the investigation and any subsequent changes to protocol.
