According to federal authorities, a man allegedly managed to slip through security at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and board an international flight to Paris without a valid ticket, setting off a chain of events that raised serious questions about airport safety.
The incident unfolded on Sunday, when Qais Ahmad Tillawi allegedly showed up at the airport claiming he had a boarding pass for Air France Flight 69. The plane was scheduled to depart for Paris around 3:50 p.m. that day, and at first glance, nothing seemed wildly out of place. But behind the scenes, red flags were already stacking up.
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An FBI affidavit uncovered by multiple media outlets said Tillawi purchased a boarding pass online around 2:00 p.m. and checked in just a couple minutes later, only for the airline to cancel the pass at 2:19 p.m. due to what they described as an “unauthorized credit card.”
What happened next is deeply unsettling. Around 2:37 p.m., Tillawi allegedly arrived at the airport in a rental car, left it abandoned at the curb, tossed two (?!) jackets into a trash can, and headed straight for the security checkpoint at TSA. Despite the canceled ticket, he allegedly made it through security and into the sterile area of the airport just before 3:00 p.m. Yes, really.
By the time he reached the gate, at least one customer reportedly noticed something was off and described his behavior as suspicious, per People. Still, he somehow made it onto the jet bridge. When an Air France employee tried to verify his boarding credentials, the system flagged his pass as invalid. But Tillawi allegedly refused to hand over his passport or any other documents, showing it only from a distance and then holding it unnecessarily close to the agent’s face before being waved through.
Somehow, he got on the plane — and once there, things quickly escalated. Instead of taking a seat, Tillawi allegedly paced through the economy cabin and refused to speak with flight attendants or the captain. He also would not provide his name.
According to the affidavit:
“Out of concern for the aircraft and the passengers, the captain ordered Tillawi to disembark the aircraft. Tillawi refused, without a verbal response, and typed on his phone, ‘Send the USA marshal.’”
At that point, the captain made the call to involve law enforcement. Passengers were de-boarded, and Phoenix cops eventually escorted Tillawi off the aircraft. The FBI then took over the investigation.
What authorities allegedly found at that point only added to the alarm. Agents say Tillawi was carrying around 20 credit cards, seven driver’s licenses from California and Arizona, a US passport, a Jordanian passport, a Jordanian military service book, and what appeared to be fake employment badges from major institutions including Deloitte, IBM, and the US Department of Veterans Affairs.
Sorry, WHAT?!
Tillawi now faces federal charges for interfering with a flight crew and entering a secured airport area without authorization.
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But the story doesn’t end there. According to the affidavit, agents also spoke with his brother, who claimed Tillawi had attended Arizona State University, spoke fluent English, and had been fired from PricewaterhouseCoopers back in 2024.
The brother also alleged Tillawi struggles with drug addiction and has been diagnosed with psychosis — and that he was previously detained in Dubai for suspicious behavior and temporarily committed for mental health treatment. Wow.
Let’s just hope he gets the help he needs — and that cops get to the bottom of whatever the heck is going on.
[Image via MEGA/WENN]
Perez Hilton
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