Former airline worker’s trip to Cancun ends midflight over trespassing charge at CLT
A former airline employee didn’t get the chance to feel the sand of a Mexican beach in between his toes. Police arrested him Tuesday after his flight was diverted back to the airport he allegedly breached.
Narada Wilson, a former Piedmont Airlines worker, is accused of illegally entering the passenger terminal at Charlotte Douglas International Airport on Tuesday, Charlotte-Mecklenburg police said. He had used used a valid boarding pass to board an American Airlines flight to Cancun.
The flight got diverted back to Charlotte when the flight crew told the police Wilson was aboard the plane. After the plane landed, he was arrested without incident, police said.
Wilson is being charged with trespass upon airport property, police said.
Wilson “separated” from Piedmont over unspecified “personal issues” earlier this year, the airline told the Observer on Wednesday. Piedmont is a subsidiary of American Airlines.
An airport employee observed Wilson bypassing security and gaining “illegal entry to the secure side of the airport,” according to a CLT statement.
“Airport security responded and began a search for an individual,” the statement said. “The individual boarded an aircraft with a valid boarding pass. The airline was notified and the aircraft returned to CLT where the person was taken into custody. CLT is working with our law enforcement and airline partners as the investigation continues.”
Wilson is in custody at the Mecklenburg County Sheriff’s Office, police said.
CMPD is assisting U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Federal Bureau of Investigation: Joint Terrorism Task Force as they review possible federal charges against Wilson.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 911 or leave information anonymously by contacting Crime Stoppers at 704-334-1600 or http://charlottecrimestoppers.com/.
