Commercial Fixed Wing
Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP)
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Security; Flight Deck / Cabin / Aircraft Event Passenger Misconduct
General Police / Security Involved
Human Factors; Staffing
We were finishing the boarding process and had been given our final paperwork. We had closed the door when we noticed the airport police approaching the aircraft and were requesting that we open the main cabin door. We learned from the officers that the last passenger to board had arrived at the gate late and upon finding no one at the gate; opened the gate door leading outside to the tarmac; setting off the alarm. She then proceeded to board without being cleared by station personnel. The alarm alerted airport security who observed the passenger on the security cameras and came to the aircraft to inform us of the uncleared passenger. The passenger had properly cleared the TSA security and been screened but because she had not been cleared to board the flight by station personnel; she was removed from the flight along with her luggage and escorted from the gate area by airport police. We contacted our Dispatcher and informed him of the situation; agreeing that while she had improperly boarded the aircraft; she posed no security threat as she and her luggage had been screened by TSA and she was ticketed for the flight. The flight then departed and was completed on time.
A passenger arrived late for a commercial flight and found no gate agent in the boarding area. The passengers open the door to the ramp and boarded the aircraft without airline clearance. The door alarm notified security who proceeded to remove the passenger from the aircraft.