Passenger smashes his way on to plane

Aug 17 2006 By Lucy Collins, The Journal

Thomas Cook Airlines yesterday called for the prosecution of a man who smashed his way on to a plane at Gatwick Airport to retrieve a lost wallet.

The charter airline also accused Sussex Police of failing in its duty after they released the man without charge.

The airline also wants BAA to explain how the man was allowed to wander unchallenged in a secure area during a time of heightened security measures.

The Asian man was discovered inside a Majorca-bound plane clutching a briefcase at 1.10am on Tuesday.

He had arrived at Gatwick on a Thomson flight from Ibiza, said a Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman.

He said the man realised he had lost his wallet and had boarded the Thomas Cook Airlines plane after smashing an alarmed glass door lock on the jetty. When challenged by cleaners he fled, but was later detained and questioned by Sussex Police at Gatwick.

A Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman said: "This individual needs to be brought before the courts. You simply can't smash the glass and walk into a secure zone and then Sussex Police let you walk free.

"That's not sending out a very positive message to the travelling public."

A Sussex Police spokesman said: "The man had left his Thomson plane, adjacent to the Thomas Cook plane, and after reaching flight connections, believing that he had left his wallet on the plane, he retraced his steps but got confused and found himself entering the jetty of the Thomas Cook flight by mistake.

"The man reported the loss of his wallet at Left Luggage and police, on interviewing him, were satisfied with his story. Police are not treating this as a breach in security. The man was a legitimate airside passenger at the time of the incident.

"He had been checked through security controls."

The Thomas Cook Airlines spokesman said talks were being held with BAA at Gatwick. He said: "There are questions that need to be asked. In that area the responsibility for security rests with BAA. Airlines pay BAA to provide that service. On this occasion that service wasn't available.

"We have an obligation to our travelling passengers to ensure a secure environment.

"We're happy our staff challenged this gentleman. However, Sussex Police and BAA seem to have washed their hands of it. There are some serious questions that need to be answered, and answered very quickly in the light of some other incidents that have happened at Gatwick."

A BAA spokeswoman said: "We can confirm that at approximately 1am on Tuesday a passenger who had arrived on an inbound flight from Ibiza inadvertently boarded a Thomas Cook aircraft while it was parked on stand.

"It is understood that the passenger had left personal belongings on the aircraft he arrived on and was attempting to retrace his steps and collect them.

"The man boarded the wrong aircraft by smashing an alarmed door lock giving access to the airbridge. He was immediately challenged by cleaning staff and removed from the aircraft.

"Whist airport security were being called the man made off, but was subsequently detained and questioned by Gatwick Police.

"A full security sweep of the aircraft was carried out but nothing was found."

On Monday a 12-year-old boy managed to board a Portugal-bound plane at Gatwick without any documentation.