Security Breach: Fake Boarding Pass Forces Plane Back to Gate—What You Need to Know

A man from Houston is now facing felony charges after allegedly using a fake boarding pass to board a United Airlines flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport. This incident led to the plane being forced to return to the gate, according to court documents obtained by News Media.

Identified as Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi, 25, he stands accused of disrupting operations at a critical infrastructure facility related to the events of May 18, as per a criminal complaint filed in Harris County.

Prosecutors have requested a bond of $25,000, stating that the incident caused a significant delay of nearly three hours for a fully booked flight. This also triggered responses from several agencies, including the Houston Police Department, FBI, Houston Airports, and the TSA.

“The Defendant delayed a flight for 3 hours with a full plane,” prosecutors mentioned in a motion examined by News Media.

Travelers line up at a TSA checkpoint at George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston on Thursday, March 26, 2026. (Lekan Oyekanmi/AP Photo)

According to the complaint, Oriyomi entered Bush Airport and passed through a TSA checkpoint before attempting to board a flight bound for Los Angeles.

Investigators allege Oriyomi first attempted to scan a boarding pass at one gate but was unsuccessful. He then walked through the airport before approaching another gate where United employees were checking passengers’ boarding passes.

The complaint alleges Oriyomi waited until airline employees were distracted before proceeding down the jetway and boarding United Flight 469.

United Airlines present their boarding passes to a gate agent as they board their plane at Denver International Airport in Denver, Colorado. (Robert Alexander/Getty Images)

A passenger told investigators Oriyomi initially sat next to her before moving around the aircraft. The witness later realized the seat had already been assigned to another passenger, according to the complaint.

The aircraft had already begun taxiing away from the gate when flight attendants were notified that someone was inside a restroom on board.

Flight attendants eventually made contact with Oriyomi and determined he did not have an assigned seat on the flight. A flight attendant later checked the passenger manifest and allegedly discovered no authorized passenger was listed under the name Oriyomi had provided.

The plane returned to the gate, prompting a response from multiple law enforcement and security agencies.

Investigators later reviewed a boarding pass image recovered from Oriyomi’s phone and determined it appeared fraudulent because key information and a QR code were missing, the complaint states. A Bush Airport representative concluded the document was fake, according to the filing.

Investigators determined Oriyomi could not have obtained a valid boarding pass without first paying for his reservation, according to court records reviewed by News Media.

A United Airlines aircraft is seen in flight. Court documents allege a Houston man boarded a United flight at George Bush Intercontinental Airport using a fraudulent boarding pass. (iStock)

Prosecutors also requested several bond conditions, according to court records reviewed by News Media, including surrendering any passports or travel documents, avoiding Bush Intercontinental Airport and other airports, refraining from possessing firearms and submitting to electronic monitoring if ordered by the court.

It was not immediately clear whether all requested bond conditions were ultimately imposed.

Court records reviewed by News Media did not immediately identify an attorney representing Oriyomi.

United Airlines, Houston Airports and the Transportation Security Administration did not immediately respond to News Media’s requests for comment.

The case is pending in Harris County’s 180th District Court.

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