Man gets past airport security unknowingly

TAMPA, Fla. (WSVN) -- A boarding pass ends up in the wrong hands. And yet the man holding it, ends up through airport security and onto a plane during the busiest travel week of the year.

At least that's what Charles Bailey thought when he was boarding a flight at Tampa International Airport.

The frequent flyer checked in his bags and picked up his boarding pass before heading to security. "When I handed it to the woman," said Bailey, "she handed it back. Then I get on the tram, and proceed to the last security checkpoint."

No problem there. And no problem either at the TSA screening area. "He checked it, initialed it. Gave the driver's license and boarding pass back to me," said Bailey. "I go to that line and I go through security to get to the gate as per normal."

Just as he was about to board his plane at the gate, he noticed something was wrong. A woman's name was on his boarding pass. "When I realized it I was startled," said Bailey.

He unknowingly breezed through security with another passenger's boarding pass without ever being detected. "I know what my fight number and gate is," said Bailey. "I'm generally efficient to where I don't look at it routinely from getting to point A to point B."

Bailey quickly notified the gate agent. He had printed an extra boarding pass at home and was able to get on his flight. TSA was later notified about the incident and released a statement that said, "the security screening process, which assures that any passenger does not pose a threat to the aviation system, contains many layers, both seen and unseen by the public. Every passenger, along with his or her belongings, is thoroughly screened for explosives and prohibited items before being permitted to board an aircraft."

Buy Bailey believes that if passengers do see something as simple as correctly checking a boarding pass and ID isn't done right, then what's unseen could pose an even more dangerous flight risk. "It is highly disturbing," said Bailey. "With everything that goes into today's travels to protect citizens, and this just shouldn't occur."

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