A Brisbane man who took a domestic flight under a friend’s name and spoke about a bomb on a plane has appeared in court and been fined.
Australian Federal Police (AFP) Detective Acting Inspector Trevor Robinson said the man came to police attention in January, when he allegedly made reference to a bomb, while speaking on his mobile phone, after boarding a flight in Sydney, bound for Brisbane.
Detective Acting Inspector Robinson said AFP officers in Sydney escorted him off the plane before discovering he was travelling under a fake name.
“Further inquiries and a search of the aircraft determined there was no bomb, and the allegation could not be substantiated.”
He said, however, the man had been convicted and fined $1700 this week for travelling on a domestic flight under a false name.
“Travelling under false names, intentionally or unintentionally, threatened aviation security.
“To ensure the safety of all passengers and crew on aircraft, it’s critical we know who is actually onboard.
“We have seen instances where people use fraudulent identities to evade law enforcement and travel interstate to facilitate criminal activity.”
