Delta Stowaway Who Took Child’s Boarding Pass Released

Texas Man Sneaks onto Delta Flight Using Stolen Boarding Pass: Security Breach Raises Alarm

ATLANTA – A Texas man has been released from custody after confessing to sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines flight using a stolen child’s boarding pass. The incident occurred at Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC) on a flight bound for Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (AUS), highlighting serious concerns regarding airport security.

Wicliff Yves Fleurizard, 27, from Leander, Texas, pleaded guilty to federal charges stemming from his March 2024 attempt to fly home to Florida without a valid ticket. By using a photo of a boarding pass belonging to a young passenger, he managed to bypass Delta’s gate security and board the aircraft.

Delta Flight Stowaway Incident

Fleurizard’s journey began when he attempted to travel using a buddy pass from a friend employed at Southwest Airlines, a privilege that only works when spare seats are available. After several failed attempts due to fully booked flights, he made a risky choice to sneak onto a Delta flight at SLC.

Court records reveal that surveillance footage captured Fleurizard lingering near passengers boarding Delta flight DL1683 while secretly photographing boarding passes. Ultimately, he snapped a picture of a young girl’s boarding pass and entered the boarding queue ahead of her, successfully passing through gate agents undetected.

Once on board, Fleurizard quickly hid in the front lavatory to avoid detection during final boarding. His plan was to wait until all passengers were seated and then claim an unassigned seat. However, the flight was fully booked. After exiting the lavatory and searching for an empty seat, he locked himself in a rear lavatory, raising suspicions among the crew.

Eventually, a flight attendant noticed inconsistencies and confronted him. Upon realizing Fleurizard’s name was not on the passenger manifest, the crew alerted the pilots. The aircraft, already taxiing, was forced to return to the gate, where local police apprehended him.

Legal Consequences

Fleurizard faced a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for his actions, which posed a significant risk to passenger safety. However, as part of a plea deal, US District Court Judge David Barlow sentenced him to time served, totaling six months of imprisonment. He was also ordered to pay $5,000 in restitution and will be under three years of supervised release.

“Mr. Fleurizard’s actions were not only disruptive to passengers, but they also compromised the safety and security of everyone on board,” stated Special Agent Mehtab Syed of the FBI Salt Lake City.

Rise in Stowaway Incidents

Fleurizard’s case is part of a troubling trend of stowaway incidents, raising alarms about airport and airline security breaches. Recent examples include:

• February 2025: Two deceased stowaways found in a Hainan Airlines aircraft wheel well in Vienna.
• January 2025: An Afghan man boarded a JetBlue flight to China, escaping security checks.
• December 2024: A stowaway was discovered on a Delta flight to Honolulu just before Christmas.

These incidents have prompted increased scrutiny of security protocols by government regulators and airlines alike.

Enhanced Airport Security Measures

In response to Fleurizard’s actions, both Delta Air Lines and the TSA are reassessing their security protocols. Delta has expressed its commitment to safety and security, emphasizing the need for strict adherence to standard procedures. The airline is reviewing gate agent training to ensure thorough boarding pass verification.

The Salt Lake City Police and the FBI have underscored the necessity for continuous improvement in aviation security. Chief Redd has advocated for regular updates to security measures, while the TSA is focusing on integrating advanced technologies to prevent unauthorized boarding. This case also raises concerns about the risks associated with buddy passes, which may lead to desperate actions when flights are full.

Conclusion

Wicliff Yves Fleurizard’s unauthorized boarding of a Delta Air Lines flight at Salt Lake City International Airport has exposed critical vulnerabilities in aviation security. His use of a stolen child’s boarding pass and subsequent sentencing to time served illustrate the urgent need for robust verification processes in air travel.

As airlines and the TSA work to address these security gaps, incidents like this highlight the ongoing challenge of balancing efficiency and safety in the aviation industry.

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