Ticketless man boards Unites States flight after ‘following family’, Delta airline probes

Delta Air Lines said Friday it is reviewing how a man who allegedly followed a family around the terminal then boarded the family’s plane earlier this month without a ticket for the flight.

The incident happened at Washington Dulles International Airport.

“Delta has processes in place for gate agents and flight crews to verify that individuals onboard aircraft prior to departure are customers that are booked on that particular flight,” the airline said in a statement. “Delta is reviewing the matter in question internally and has been in touch with airport authorities in conjunction with this review.”

Lauren Benton told ABC News that she noticed a man who appeared to be following herself, her husband and their two young children inside the terminal, even into a women’s restroom. She said when they boarded the plane, the man followed and sat down in their row.

Benton said her husband confronted the man, and a flight attendant asked to see his boarding pass, which he was unable to produce.

The man was removed from the plane. According to the Transportation Security Administration, he had a valid ID and boarding pass for a later flight, explaining how he got past the checkpoint.