Solo traveller got on British Airways flight without a ticket

A solo traveller managed to slip onto a British Airways flight at Heathrow without a ticket, boarding pass or passport – and was only discovered after repeatedly taking other passengers' seats.

The man boarded the 7.20am BA service to Oslo on Saturday after allegedly tailgating travellers through security and then bypassing checks at the departure gate.

He was only uncovered once the Airbus A320 was full, with cabin crew becoming suspicious when he kept moving seats and could not produce any travel documents.

Airport sources said the man was later arrested by police, despite having passed through full security screening before reaching the gate.

It is understood the individual posed as part of a family group at the final passport check, blending in as their documents were inspected before boarding.

Mike LaCorte, who was on the flight, seated at the very front of the aircraft, witnessed the drama unfold. 

He told the Telegraph the man wandered around the cabin as boarding continued, before crew members challenged him and realised he did not have a boarding pass.

He described the intruder as a scruffy-looking man in his late twenties or early thirties, dressed in a light-coloured tracksuit and carrying a small rucksack.

Sources said the man had gained access to security by following closely behind other passengers through automatic gates at Terminal Three, which normally require boarding passes to be scanned before entry.

Although he cleared security checks for prohibited items, he was not stopped at the gate and managed to board the plane unnoticed.

Once the situation was identified, airport security and armed police were called to the aircraft and escorted the man off.

Crew members then checked seats and searched overhead lockers before ordering all legitimate passengers to disembark.

The aircraft was subjected to further security checks, including sniffer dogs, before passengers were allowed back on board.

The flight was eventually delayed by more than three hours.

Philip Baum, a visiting professor of aviation security at Coventry University described the incident as a serious failure, saying airlines must be able to account for every individual on board an aircraft at all times, even though safeguards exist to protect the cockpit.

Passengers were reportedly offered a small voucher as compensation for the delay, which one traveller said amounted to roughly £10 and could only be redeemed via a mobile app.

British Airways and Heathrow Airport declined to comment on the incident.