Houston Man Charged with Felony After Allegedly Sneaking onto United Flight with Fake Boarding Pass

A 25-year-old Houston man faces a felony charge after authorities say he used a fake boarding pass to bypass security and board a United Airlines flight, forcing a full deplaning, an explosives search, and a three-hour delay.

Abdulrahman Oluwatumike Oriyomi was arrested Friday and charged with impairing or interrupting the operation of a critical infrastructure facility. The incident occurred on May 18 at George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IAH).

Court documents detail a series of security lapses. Oriyomi reportedly exhibited suspicious behavior at a Terminal C TSA checkpoint, staring at his phone and delaying interaction with agents. He allegedly struggled to scan a fake boarding pass before being cleared through security after a secondary check.

Once airside, he approached Gate E16 for United Flight 469 to Los Angeles. When initial attempts to scan his fraudulent boarding pass failed, he allegedly waited, then slipped past preoccupied gate agents and boarded the aircraft. As the flight was full, he hid in a rear bathroom. A flight attendant later discovered him; he reportedly asked to sit in a jump seat and identified himself as “Mr. Lopez,” a name not on the passenger manifest.

Crew alerted authorities, leading to the removal of all passengers from the plane and a thorough search for explosives. Oriyomi was questioned on the day of the incident and issued a trespass warning but was not immediately charged. Following further investigation, including analysis confirming the boarding pass was forged, charges were filed and he was arrested.

Oriyomi remains in custody at the Harris County Joint Processing Center. His reservation had reportedly been canceled due to non-payment prior to the attempt.