Gatwick Airport suffered a security scare after a man boarded a plane without a passport.
A British national was able to board a Norwegian Air flight to Copenhagen on February 5 without his passport or boarding pass, the second such incident in the UK in two months after a man flew, undocumented, from Heathrow to New York JFK airport in December 2023.
The man managed to board the flight but was quickly apprehended by security, who pulled him off the plane before takeoff.
He had reportedly passed through the airport as a normal passenger until he was able to skirt passport and boarding pass checks and slip onto the Boeing 737.
He was accused of having “brazenly tailgated” fellow passengers to make his way onto the jet.
Speaking to The Sun, an insider said the passenger had “brazenly tailgated other passengers unnoticed through security checkpoints” without his passport or ticket.
They added he later “somehow managed to board the flight at the gate” and Gatwick officials have since confirmed the incident.
A spokesman for the airport confirmed an individual had boarded a flight “without authorisation” after they were screened.
They said the man in question had been security screened beforehand and did not pose a risk to other passengers.
The statement read: “The individual had been security screened and therefore posed no immediate security risk.”
“Police attended and the individual was removed from the airport.”
Sussex Police confirmed officers have launched an investigation into the incident after they supported the Gatwick security team.
The service said there were concerns over the man’s welfare and added that the plane was briefly cleared for searches.
A spokesman said: “As per standard procedure, passengers were temporarily disembarked while a search was completed.
“They were then allowed to re-board the aircraft which was then cleared for departure.”
