A federal jury convicted Tiron Alexander, 35, of wire fraud and entering secure airport areas under false pretenses after he posed as a flight attendant to book more than 120 free flights across multiple airlines from 2018 to 2024.
What Happened: The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of Florida announced June 5 that Alexander used approximately 30 different badge numbers and fabricated employment dates to exploit airline employee discount systems.
Court evidence showed Alexander flew on 34 flights without payment by claiming he worked for seven different carriers through airline websites restricted to pilots and flight attendants, according to a Fortune report.
Alexander’s employment history included legitimate positions as a global ticketing support representative for Delta Air Lines Inc. (NYSE:DAL) from 2010-2012, flight attendant for Atlantic Southeast Airlines from 2013-2014, and briefly with Republic Airways in 2015. However, he leveraged this background to create fraudulent credentials across multiple carriers.
The Transportation Security Administration investigated the case, with incidents occurring primarily at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport. While court documents don’t identify specific airlines, booking screenshots indicate Alexander targeted Spirit Airlines Inc. (NASDAQ:SAVEQ).
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Why It Matters: Alexander’s fraud scheme coincided with increased airline fee revenue generation. A Senate investigation in November 2024 revealed that major U.S. airlines collected $12.4 billion in seat selection fees between 2018 and 2023.
In 2023 alone, United Airlines Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:UAL) earned $1.3 billion from seating fees—exceeding its revenue from checked baggage for the first time.
Spirit Airlines recently emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in March 2025, completing financial restructuring that reduced funded debt by $795 million while securing $350 million in equity investment. The airline expects to re-list shares “as soon as reasonably practicable.”
TSA confirmed Alexander underwent standard security procedures and posed no passenger threat despite fraudulent boarding passes. U.S. District Judge Jacqueline Becerra will sentence Alexander August 25, with wire fraud carrying potential penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and substantial fines.
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Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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