A 35-year-old American man has been indicted on multiple federal charges after allegedly impersonating a flight attendant to fraudulently avail over 120 free flights across the United States.
Federal prosecutors on Monday confirmed that Tyrone Alexander has been charged with wire fraud and illegally entering secure areas of airports under false pretenses.
According to court documents, Alexander exploited a long-standing airline policy that permits crew members from different airlines to travel at no cost, a courtesy extended under inter-airline agreements.
Between 2018 and 2024, Alexander is said to have assumed the identity of a flight attendant working for various carriers, despite not having worked in the industry since 2015. Investigators stated that he had previously served as a crew member for regional airlines from 2013 to 2015, and used that experience to manipulate the system.
The accused reportedly accessed online portals used by airline personnel to apply for jumpseat privileges — seats reserved for crew members — by entering fabricated employment details including fake badge numbers, fictitious dates of appointment, and listing non-existent employers. Authorities allege he claimed employment at seven different airlines, none of which had any record of his service.
By exploiting these internal systems, Alexander successfully boarded flights to major US cities such as Atlanta, Dallas, Las Vegas, and Los Angeles, all without purchasing tickets. His fraudulent activity went unnoticed for nearly six years, largely due to a lack of verification by airline staff, prosecutors noted.
The U.S. Department of Justice has charged Alexander with 120 counts of wire fraud — a crime involving deceit through electronic communications — each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. He also faces up to 10 years for repeatedly accessing secure airport zones without authorization.
The case is scheduled to be heard in court on August 25. Prosecutors are expected to present travel records, system logs, and testimonies from airline security teams as evidence.
Airlines involved in the investigation have not been publicly named. However, aviation experts say the incident has raised serious questions about security loopholes in airline crew verification systems and the need for stricter enforcement of jumpseat access policies.
