A woman in her 20s in Indonesia was arrested after she boarded a plane disguised as an airline flight attendant.
According to foreign media including VN Express and Daily Star on the 11th, Indonesian national Khairun Nisha, 23, recently boarded a Batik Air domestic flight from Palembang to Jakarta.
Nisha wore a uniform very similar to Batik Air's flight attendants and had her hair in the bun that attendants wear. She also had a carry-on with the airline logo and an ID card. She passed all airport security checks and boarding procedures with a properly purchased ticket.
After boarding, she mingled among the flight attendants and for a while faced no particular restraint. Nisha's disguise came to light when cabin crew asked her about the duties assigned to her during the flight. Suspicious after Nisha failed to answer basic questions about attendant duties, the crew confirmed that her uniform pattern and ID card did not match Batik Air's official uniform and identification.
The crew immediately reported the matter to authorities, including aviation security, and Nisha was arrested by police after arriving in Jakarta.
An investigation found that she had previously applied to be a Batik Air flight attendant but was rejected. She said, "I was ashamed that I wasn't hired, and I wore the uniform to make my family believe I had become a flight attendant."
Nisha later released a video apologizing to Batik Air. She said, "I am not a Batik Air cabin crew member. I sincerely apologize to Batik Air and the Lion Group."
Criticism arose that it was a serious aviation security problem that a person disguised as a flight attendant was able to board an aircraft without particular restraint.
In response, Batik Air said, "Nisha had a valid boarding pass and was not carrying any prohibited items, so she was able to board." The airline added, "We are currently working with authorities to investigate the exact circumstances."