A 35-year-old man has been convicted in the U.S. for pulling off a shocking six-year-long scheme—pretending to be a flight attendant to score free flights on major airlines.
According to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida, Tiron Alexander posed as an airline crew member between 2018 and 2024, booking over 120 flights without paying a penny. He used internal crew ticketing systems meant exclusively for airline employees like pilots and flight attendants, a benefit often known as non-revenue travel.
Alexander, who did work for a Dallas-based airline starting in 2015, was never actually a flight attendant or pilot. Yet, prosecutors say he falsely claimed affiliation with at least seven different airlines, including American Airlines, United, Spirit, Delta, and Southwest. In one case, he reportedly took 34 flights using 30 different employee badge numbers and hire dates.
Authorities say Alexander not only accessed free standby tickets but also entered secure airport areas, including Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, under false pretenses.
His scam went unnoticed for years until a federal investigation by the TSA uncovered his actions. He was indicted in October 2024, arrested in California in February, and found guilty by a federal jury in Florida on Tuesday.
He now faces up to 20 years in prison for four counts of wire fraud, and an additional 10 years for fraudulently entering an airport’s secure zone.
Sentencing is scheduled for August 25, 2025.
