Monarch Airlines has launched an investigation after a British man says he was able to breeze through security in Britain and Spain by using his girlfriend’s passport.
Neil Clulow — a bald, 50-year-old barber from Halesowen — says he was able to board his flight from Birmingham Airport and pass through passport control at Alicante Airport in Spain with a passport belonging to his girlfriend, Karen Clift, who has long blond hair, the U.K.’s Mirror reported.
The grandfather of five only realized what had happened after he and his friends were comparing passport pictures.
“I can’t believe it, especially after the trouble with that missing jet,” Mr. Clulow said, referring to Malaysia Airlines Flight 370.
Upon arrival in Benidorm, Mr. Clulow paid for UPS to mail his passport to Spain, but the carrier accidentally sent it to Berlin, causing him to miss his return flight to the U.K., Mirror reported.
Monarch offered to fly the man back for free the next day, and he was met upon arrival by two senior airline officials who questioned him about the incident.
“They wanted to know what happened,” he told Mirror. “They asked if I would be willing to point out the woman who let me through because it was a serious breach of security.”
“But I didn’t want to do that to her, so I refused. I’ve heard nothing from them since,” he said.
• Jessica Chasmar can be reached at jchasmar@washingtontimes.com.
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