A problem with a Delta Air Lines boarding pass at Salt Lake City International Airport has led to an FBI investigation over what eventually resulted in a security breach.
The event occurred on Sunday when officials found that Wicliff Fleurizard, 26, from George, Texas, managed to board the aircraft despite having a boarding pass for a different flight and airline.
As per a criminal complaint filed in the matter, Fleurizard was taken off Flight 1683, headed for Austin, after it was uncovered that he possessed a boarding pass for a Southwest Airlines flight.
Fleurizard stated that he had just returned from a snowboarding trip in Park City and had an urgent need to get home to meet family members arriving from Florida.
According to investigators in the complaint, Fleurizard utilized a "buddy pass" from Southwest Airlines to pass through security. However, upon reaching his gate, he discovered that the Southwest flight was fully booked.
According to the complaint, security footage reportedly captured Fleurizard taking photos of other passengers' boarding passes. Allegedly, he used one of these to gain entry to the Delta flight.
Upon boarding, he tried to conceal himself in the lavatories. However, flight attendants found him after all seats were occupied.
TSA confirmed that Fleurizard had undergone screening without any issues, but he did not possess a valid ticket for the Delta flight.
The airline informed CBS News that it is collaborating with law enforcement and federal agencies as part of the ongoing investigation.
Fleurizard was apprehended by federal authorities and taken to the Salt Lake County jail on Sunday.
This recent incident follows less than three months after another individual managed to breach a secure area at the airport, granting access to the tarmac. Subsequently, he climbed into an airplane engine and later died at the scene.
