Posing as pilot, man flies for free 120 times
12 Jun 2025

A Florida man, Tiron Alexander (35), has been convicted of wire fraud and unlawfully entering secure airport areas after he impersonated a flight attendant to book more than 120 free airline flights.

According to prosecutors, Alexander took advantage of a program intended for airline employees, using it to board 34 flights between 2018 and 2024.

How Alexander booked the flights
System abuse

Alexander allegedly used the airline carrier's website application process to book flights.

This process required applicants to specify whether they were a pilot or flight attendant and provide their employer, date of hire, and badge number information.

"Over the 34 flights, Alexander claimed through the airline carrier's website application process... that he worked for seven different airlines and had approximately 30 different badge numbers and dates of hire," officials said.

Charges against Alexander
Further deceit

In addition to booking flights through a single airline's platform, Alexander also impersonated flight crew with three other carriers to extend his access to free travel.

According to court filings, he started working for an unnamed Dallas-based airline in 2015, although not as a pilot or flight attendant.

The scheme to get free flights for a Florida-based airline started in 2018 and lasted until 2024, the filings showed.

Alexander faces up to 30 years
Investigation details

He was convicted on four charges of wire fraud and one count of falsely accessing the airport's protected area.

Alexander now faces up to 30 years in federal prison: 20 years for wire fraud charges and 10 years for entering into a secure area.

He was arrested in California in February.