Brussels Airlines pilot detained (and later fired) after presenting “camouflage passport” at border control

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A Brussels Airlines pilot was arrested at Brussels Airport after presenting a camouflage (fantasy) passport during a security check, Gazet van Antwerpen reports. Although the incident occurred earlier this summer, it only recently came to light. The document appeared legitimate but was, in fact, fraudulent.

Flight crews, like passengers, must undergo rigorous security checks before boarding. These controls have become stricter in recent years, with some crew members expressing concerns about the increased scrutiny. The arrested pilot reportedly attempted to bypass these checks but was caught by authorities.

According to Ingrid Moriau from the Halle-Vilvoorde prosecutor’s office, “During a check by the aviation police at the border control, the Belgian pilot presented an incorrect identity document.” The pilot was detained but not formally charged.

The passport in question was identified as a “fantasy passport,” a document issued not by a national authority but by a private organisation or interest group, often to make a political statement or show loyalty to a cause. Despite resembling official passports, they are not legally recognised. Pierre Steverlynck from the Federal Public Service Foreign Affairs clarified, “Using such documents for identification or travel is considered fraud.”

Brussels Airlines has since dismissed the pilot involved in the incident.

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