A 25-year-old man from Houston has been arrested after allegedly sneaking onto a United Airlines flight using a fake boarding pass and causing major disruption at an airport in Texas. The case has raised concerns about airport security and boarding procedures.
The suspect, identified as Abdulrahman Oriyomi, was taken into custody on Friday. Court records show he has been charged with felony impairment or interruption of a critical infrastructure facility. The incident is linked to events that took place on May 18 at Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport.
According to court documents, surveillance footage showed Oriyomi moving through Terminal C in the morning while appearing to struggle with his boarding pass. He later spoke with airport security officers and was allowed to proceed through screening after verification steps.
Once inside the secure area, officials say he repeatedly tried to board flights but was turned away because his boarding pass would not scan correctly. Despite this, he continued to interact with airline staff and remained inside the terminal.
At around 9 a.m., he joined the boarding line for United Airlines Flight 469, which was scheduled to fly to Los Angeles. Investigators say he waited until airline employees were distracted before walking past them and entering the jet bridge without proper authorization.
A police officer stated in court documents that the suspect deliberately used timing and distraction to bypass gate staff. This allowed him to reach the aircraft without being cleared for boarding.
Once onboard the plane, he reportedly sat in an aisle seat but later moved into the restroom. A passenger later took that seat, unaware of the situation. With the aircraft full, the man allegedly remained in the restroom while the flight prepared for departure.
Crew members soon became aware that someone was still inside the bathroom as the plane began taxiing. Despite repeated instructions from flight attendants, the man reportedly continued returning to the restroom instead of staying seated.
When questioned by a flight attendant, he allegedly gave a false name. After checking the passenger list, staff confirmed no such person was authorized on the flight. The plane was then returned to the gate for further investigation.
All passengers and crew were asked to deplane while authorities inspected the aircraft. Police K-9 units checked the plane for safety concerns before it was cleared. Officials confirmed there were no explosive threats involved.
During questioning, the suspect later provided his real identity. Airline staff also found a reservation under his name, but it had reportedly been canceled due to nonpayment.
Authorities say Oriyomi caused further disruption by recording officers on his phone after being removed from the aircraft. He was issued a trespass warning before leaving the airport.
The incident led to a three-hour delay for Flight 469, affecting passengers traveling to Los Angeles. United Airlines declined to comment on the matter and referred questions to law enforcement.
In the following days, investigators reviewed surveillance footage and compared boarding passes to confirm that the document used was fraudulent. This led to the formal arrest on charges related to interfering with critical infrastructure operations.
Oriyomi is currently being held at the Harris County Joint Processing Center. He is scheduled to appear in court for a bail review hearing on Monday morning.
Authorities have not yet confirmed whether he has legal representation. The investigation into how the fake boarding pass was used to bypass airport controls is still ongoing.
