Man caught impersonating pilot on Dragonair flight to Malaysia
The man, who was wearing a fake pilot’s uniform, caused suspicion when he tried to order a cocktail on the flight
Fears over flight safety were renewed on Monday when it was claimed that a passenger on board a Dragonair flight to Malaysia in March was caught impersonating a pilot.
The incident, which was said to have taken place on March 31 on flight KA691 to Penang, was disclosed by Rebecca Sy, chairperson of the carrier’s flight attendants association.
It is understood the male passenger, believed to be 18 to 20 years old, donned a “pilot” outfit – a white shirt with shoulder epaulettes, black trousers and a black necktie – as he approached the airport’s boarding gate. His luggage tags and lanyard also carried logos of Cathay Pacific, Dragonair’s parent company.
He told staff that he had just finished manning a flight from San Francisco, and asked to speak to the pilot after the plane touched down in Penang.
But flight attendants became suspicious when he ordered bloody Mary cocktail, which was not available on the menu. Flight attendants stepped up their alert after he failed to provide a staff number, and made sure he didn’t go near the cockpit.
He was taken away by security staff upon landing, while a search was conducted on the aircraft overnight. It is not immediately clear whether he was charged by Malaysian police.
It is believed the man had previous records of impersonating a pilot. Dragonair would not provide details, citing an ongoing investigation by police.
Police said no arrests have made been so far.
