Young man boards Air Canada flight wearing disguise
Posted November 5, 2010 6:06 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
TORONTO, Ont. – The Canada Border Services Agency has called it an “unbelievable case of concealment”, after an Asian man managed to get on an Air Canada flight from Hong Kong to Vancouver disguised as an elderly, white man.
On October 29, the man came boarded flight AC018 wearing a silicone face and neck mask, glasses, brown pants and a cardigan. Although Air Canada staff noticed his young looking hands, they did not ask for photo ID at the boarding gate. All he showed was an Aeroplan card and a boarding pass.
His disguise was revealed when he went to a washroom on the plane mid-flight, and came out as himself.
A former CSIS intelligence officer told CTV the man most likely went through the more elaborate security checkpoints using his own identification.
“It’s only when it came to the last stage before boarding, that he probably met his accomplice, swiped the boarding pass, went to the washroom, put (on) his disguise and then show the boarding (pass),” he said.
“We did not ask for photo ID, and this is (a) basic procedure, this is the regulation.”
The officer also told CTV that this illustrated a major security breach.
“The terrorists are anybody who wants to board a plane illegally, can come out with new ideas and new perspectives,” he said.
Liberal Foreign Affairs Critic Bob Rae called the incident bizarre, and said it raises alarm bells about security procedures used by the airline.
“It just seems a little strange to me that a guy with a rubber mask would be able to get through. That’s all,” said Rae.
There is word that the Asian man was seeking refuge in Canada. He has not been
identified at this time.
The Harper government said the incident was of deep concern and promised to launch a full investigation.
The story came to light Thursday evening on CNN after a bulletin was posted on Monday.
