Man reaches Gatwick departure lounge without ticket

Updated
Gatwick Airport North Terminal extension opening
Gatwick Airport North Terminal extension opening



An urgent investigation is underway at Gatwick airport after a man passed through customs to the departure lounge without a ticket despite increased checks.

According to the Daily Mail, the man, believed to be a Turkish national, managed to pass through the security area and reach the departure lounge at around 8.20am this morning, despite not having a boarding pass.

Shocked passengers were said to have left the airport after hearing what had happened, reports ITV.

News of the security breach comes less than a week after it was revealed that security checks were being enhanced at all UK airports with uncharged electronic devices being refused access.

The man passed through a buggy lane with his family who were due to catch a flight but security staff failed to notice the number of boarding passes presented did not match the number of people passing through.

They then passed successfully through the airport's scanning procedures and into the departure lounge, reports the Daily Mail.

It is believed that man wanted to see his family off and was not actually intending to travel.

While in the departures lounge, a retail unit asked the man for his boarding pass when he tried to make a purchase. When he failed to produce one, security staff were alerted.

A Gatwick Airport spokesperson said: 'Earlier this morning a gentleman accompanying his family through the airport was incorrectly allowed access to the departure lounge without having a boarding pass. The incident is being investigated but all individuals correctly passed through the series of full security search and screen processes.'




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