CBSA: Man in disguise boards flight to Vancouver

VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – Canada Border Services Agency is calling it “an incredible case of concealment”.  It appears a man on an Air Canada flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver wore a very convincing disguise.

The man apparently boarded the October 29th flight in Hong Kong looking like an elderly white man, but at some point during the flight came out of the bathroom as an Asian man.

He was stopped by border agents when he arrived in Vancouver. In his bag, border agents found a realistic rubber mask, a brown cap, glasses, and a cardigan the man was said to be wearing on the flight.

The man apparently told border agents he had removed the disguise during the flight and used another passenger’s boarding pass.

The man has made a refugee claim and is being held by Canada Border Services Agency. He may have a hearing at the Immigration and Refugee Board soon, although staff say they have no public information to release right now.

News1130 asked an SFU security expert how an imposter passenger could get on the plane using a swapped boarding pass and an Aeroplan card. Andre Gerolymatos says there seems to have been a big lapse in procedure. “He’s coming from Hong Kong, where they’re not as sensitive [when it comes to] security.”

When you boarding flights into Canada, you’re required to have a piece of photo ID or passport that matches your boarding pass. Gerolymatos explains, “We can establish the greatest security measures in the world. But ultimately, the human factor is the key element to it. The human factor, because it is human, will occasionally fail.”

Air Canada is staying mum, but insists there are numerous ID checks before departure at Hong Kong International Airport, including Chinese government-run passport control. Transport Canada is also not commenting on tape, but says it’s checking to see if identity screening rules were followed: airlines have to check a person’s face to their travel documents if they appear to be over 18..