Homeless Woman at San Jose Airport Boards Plane without a Ticket

Homeless Woman at San Jose Airport Boards Plane without a Ticket

  • By Ginger Hill
  • Aug 07, 2014

San Jose airport officials and the Transportation Security Administration are downplaying the fact that Homeless Woman at San Jose Airport Boards Plane without a TicketMarilyn Hartman, a 62-year-old homeless woman and well-known trespasser boarded a plane and completed a flight without a ticket on Wednesday of this week. Their explanation was that the stowaway posed no security threat because she passed a TSA screening.

Each time I fly, I must present my boarding pass to the TSA agent before I am asked to remove my shoes, place any liquids and computer into a tray, slide the trays through the X-ray machine along with my travel bag while I walk through a metal detector. So, how was all this possible for Hartman without a boarding pass?

There are critics to what happened. Rep, Eric Swalwell, the only California congressman on the House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Transportation Security, said, “The woman [referring to Hartman] was harmless, but there are people who I don’t want on an airplane even if they go through security screening, who the public doesn’t want on an airplane.”

Come to find out, Hartman has been arrested seven times this year for trying to sneak onto flights at San Francisco International Airport. She bypassed two ticket checkpoints and went undetected for an entire trip from San Jose to Los Angeles while flying on Southwest airlines. And, she was caught aboard another airline earlier in the year when a passenger claimed that she was in his seat.

Supposedly this time, Hartman was able to sneak past the TSA ticket checkpoint after three failed tries, blend in with a family and slip past the guard. At that point, she tried to board an Alaskan Airlines flight, but was not allowed, so she blended in with other passengers boarding a Southwest flight, successfully getting past the gate agent.

Hartman has explained to authorities that she has cancer and she just wanted to go somewhere warm. After pleading no contest, she was released on the condition that she must stay away from the airport unless she has a legitimate boarding pass.

Heart stings have been pulled by many who have read her story and a gofundme.com has been set up to gather enough money to send Hartman to Hawaii as well as help with her cancer treatments. If she doesn't have cancer, the funds will be donated to UCSF oncology. So far, $415 has been raised.

Image courtesy of San Mateo County Sheriff's Office via The San Francisco Examiner.)

About the Author

Ginger Hill is Group Social Media Manager.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Most   Popular

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems V07

    Automatic Systems, an industry-leading manufacturer of pedestrian and vehicle secure entrance control access systems, is pleased to announce the release of its groundbreaking V07 software. The V07 software update is designed specifically to address cybersecurity concerns and will ensure the integrity and confidentiality of Automatic Systems applications. With the new V07 software, updates will be delivered by means of an encrypted file. 3

  • Compact IP Video Intercom

    Viking’s X-205 Series of intercoms provide HD IP video and two-way voice communication - all wrapped up in an attractive compact chassis. 3

  • Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden CV-7600 High Security Card Readers

    Camden Door Controls has relaunched its CV-7600 card readers in response to growing market demand for a more secure alternative to standard proximity credentials that can be easily cloned. CV-7600 readers support MIFARE DESFire EV1 & EV2 encryption technology credentials, making them virtually clone-proof and highly secure. 3