Fraud involving frequent flyer points is incredibly common, and all too often, people don’t get caught, and don’t face punishment. Well, here’s the other extreme (thanks to View from the Wing for flagging this)…
Stolen identity causes major airline security response
This incident happened on Wednesday, March 18, 2026, and centers around Air Canada flight AC833, scheduled from Brussels (BRU) to Montreal (YUL). The flight was operated by the Star Alliance carrier’s highest capacity plane, the high density Boeing 777-300ER, featuring a staggering 450 seats.
Long story short, around 12PM Montreal time, a national security protocol was triggered, over something that happened on another flight. A traveler had attempted to board another Air Canada flight, only to have an alert come up in the system, indicating that this person was already onboard another Air Canada flight (the above transatlantic one).
As you might have guessed, something didn’t add up here. It was determined that the person trying to board was using their real identity, meaning that the person on the transatlantic flight must’ve been someone else. As it turns out, the passenger on the flight had stolen not only the identity, but also the Aeroplan points, of the other traveler.
The situation was deemed serious enough to trigger a security procedure involving the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), so two fighter jets escorted the 777 all the way to Montreal.
After landing, sniffer dogs and explosives technicians were called in to examine the traveler and his bags, but no threat was detected. The suspect was arrested and then questioned by the police, and was eventually released with a summons.
Hah, this isn’t usually how these situations play out
As I see it, there are two separate stories here — the identity theft and then the stealing of points. To me the former is more unusual than the latter.
One certainly wonders how someone was able to steal someone else’s identity on a transatlantic flight. Passport verification is required at the immigration checkpoint on departure and to board the plane, so did he have fake documents, or did he have another sneaky plan I’m not thinking of?
Then there’s the whole topic of points being stolen. There’s a massive underground industry of bartering points, which typically violates the rules of loyalty programs, but isn’t necessarily illegal in many jurisdictions.
So if this all did truly arise in part because of stolen Aeroplan points, then, well, this has to be one of the most uncomfortable ways that I’ve ever heard of something like this playing out.
Keep in mind that often the people traveling on tickets using stolen points don’t even realize it. They might just buy their ticket online through what they believe is a consolidator, when in reality, someone is booking the ticket with stolen points, and passing it off as a legitimate ticket.
I don’t know what this guy’s situation was, and the fact that the points were stolen adds an unusual angle to this. That being said, imagine thinking you’ve purchased a legitimate ticket online, only to end up on a flight being escorted by fighter jets, and realizing you’re the reason for them. Ouch.
Bottom line
An Air Canada flight from Brussels to Montreal had a dramatic ending, when two fighter jets had to escort the plane on arrival because one passenger was traveling with a stolen identity, on a ticket booked with stolen Aeroplan points. Upon landing, all of his luggage was searched, and he was arrested.
It’s not that unusual for people to travel with a stolen identity, or on a ticket booked with stolen points, but both at the same time is rather rare.
What do you make of this Air Canada fighter jet escort story?
