Man flew for free for six years by posing as a flight attendant

Tiron Alexander, a 35-year-old American man living in Florida, faces up to 30 years in prison after boarding 34 flights without paying from 2018 to 2024. According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the defendant devised a plan to infiltrate commercial flights, booking nearly 120 free tickets by exploiting a system exclusive to airport employees. He pretended to be a flight attendant for three different companies, providing more than 30 false ID numbers and hiring dates.

Although Alexander worked since 2015 at a Dallas-based airline, he never did so as part of the cabin crew, as he claimed. He faked identities and bypassed security systems, managing to evade airport controls multiple times without raising suspicion for years.

Alexander was arrested in California and found guilty of four counts of fraud and one count of illegal entry into restricted airport areas. His trial is scheduled for August 2025, and he could face up to 20 years in prison for fraud and an additional 10 years for unauthorized access to restricted areas. He is currently on probation, having been released on a $50,000 unsecured bond, awaiting the final ruling.