On 2/8, Broward County police in Florida arrested Sammuel Prescott Lackey, 32, after he was found hiding in a JetBlue plane's lavatory at the Jetscape maintenance facility, near Fort Lauderdale Airport, Florida.

Lackey claimed he climbed over the airport fence and used a mobile staircase to board the plane on the evening of 1/8. He took advantage of the aircraft's maintenance process, noting that the rear door was open and a staircase was positioned outside for technicians to access.

Sammuel Prescott Lackey, 32, of Florida, was arrested for sneaking onto a plane to sleep overnight. Photo: Broward Sheriff’s Office

Around 4:25 a.m. on 2/8, the plane was pushed back to its parking spot at the maintenance facility, and its doors were closed and locked. Lackey remained inside until he was discovered by staff.

The incident disrupted JetBlue's operations, causing over 2,400 USD in damages. Lackey was charged with trespassing on an unoccupied conveyance, criminal mischief, and disrupting essential infrastructure. He is currently being held at Broward County Jail on a 10,000 USD bond. JetBlue stated that the safety of passengers and crew members is a top priority, and they are assisting authorities in the investigation.

Incidents of sneaking onto planes are not uncommon in aviation history. In 11/2024, Svetlana Dali, a Russian citizen, bypassed multiple layers of security at JFK Airport (New York) to board a flight to Paris without a ticket. She hid in the lavatory and was discovered as the plane was about to land. More than a year later, while on probation, Dali was again accused of sneaking onto a flight from Newark to Milan, Italy.

Mai Phuong (According to People, Reuters)