Man arrested for attempting to board United Airlines flight with counterfeit boarding pass
A 25-year-old man was apprehended for allegedly boarding a United Airlines flight using a counterfeit boarding pass at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport on May 18. The arrest of Abdulrahman Oriyomi has raised concerns regarding airport security and the enforcement of regulations related to boarding procedures.
According to court documents obtained from a media source, Oriyomi was captured on surveillance footage in Terminal C appearing to face difficulties with his boarding pass before he was allowed to proceed through security by transportation security officers. The footage indicated that he had interacted multiple times with United Airlines staff while attempting to board various flights, only to be turned away each time due to issues with his pass.
On the morning of the incident, Oriyomi attempted to join the boarding queue for United Airlines Flight 469, which was bound for Los Angeles. As documented by law enforcement, he strategically waited for airline employees to become distracted before making his move. He allegedly walked past the distracted staff, entered the jetway, and boarded the aircraft.
Once inside, witnesses reported that Oriyomi took an aisle seat, only to later slip into the restroom. Upon his return, he discovered that his seat had been occupied by another passenger. At this point, he reportedly attempted to conceal his presence by frequently returning to the bathroom, raising concerns among the crew and passengers. A flight attendant was alerted after it was noted that a passenger remained in the restroom during taxiing.
Despite repeated instructions to take a seat, Oriyomi continued to evade responsibility, giving a false name when questioned by cabin crew. A cross-reference with the flight manifest revealed no passenger by the name he provided, prompting the aircraft to return to the gate for security checks.
The aircraft was thoroughly inspected for explosives by the Houston Police Department’s K-9 unit following the alarm raised by the crew regarding Oriyomi’s suspicious behavior. Upon questioning, Oriyomi eventually provided his correct name and revealed that his reservation had been canceled due to nonpayment. He reportedly caused a disturbance by recording officers as they responded to the situation.
As a direct consequence of Oriyomi’s actions, Flight 469 experienced a delay of three hours. On Friday, he was charged with impairing or interrupting the operation of a critical infrastructure facility, following an investigation that confirmed the authenticity of the boarding pass used. Oriyomi is currently held at the Harris County Joint Processing Center, with a court appearance scheduled for a bail review in the coming days.
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