ORLANDO, Fla. — A 15-year-old without a ticket recently made her way through security and all the way to a terminal at Orlando International Airport, according to authorities.
- Girl makes it through security without proper boarding pass
- TSA: She had someone else's valid boarding pass
- Girl told police she took several buses to get to OIA
Orlando Police said the incident happened Friday. A TSA spokesperson told Spectrum News 13 that the girl had a valid boarding pass, but it was for another person.
A Southwest Airlines employee told police that the girl was wandering around a gate and gave her a drink coupon with another person's name on it.
Police later discovered that the girl was missing out of Apopka. She told police she took several buses to get to the airport.
TSA said the girl did not pose a threat to the airport, and she was screened.
According to TSA, passengers under the age of 18 are not required to show identification when going through security.
Retired Air Marshal Victor Cabaza, who has more than 13 years experience, thinks that needs to change, because "in the light of human trafficking, elevating now in this atmosphere," he said. "Anyone can show up to the airport if they've kidnapped a younger person and walk through if they don't need an ID," Cabaza said.
Passenger Marco Harmon was alarmed to hear that a minor was able to get through TSA when she didn't have a ticket.
"Imagine someone who wants to cause harm, what they would do if they got through?" he said.
Another passenger, Chris White, said he doesn't blame the TSA.
"Mistakes happen. You just hope it's not a mistake that's going to ... be a bad mistake," White said.
Cabaza hopes TSA is going to change procedures to ensure this doesn't happen again.
"They're going to question young individuals more, (ask), 'Where are your parents? How did you get here?' " Cabaza said.
This isn’t the first time a passenger without a boarding pass has been able to get through security at Orlando International Airport recently.
In October, Sylvia Rictor made it through security at OIA without a boarding pass or ID. She was allegedly able to fool TSA, pretending she was with another family. She was later escorted off the plane.