It was a sky-high scam.
A co-pilot allegedly forged certificates to qualify himself for a captain position with a Lithuanian airline — and helmed flights carrying hundreds of passengers throughout Europe.
The faux flyer, whose identity was not disclosed, served as a captain for Lithuanian airline Avion Express for an unspecified period of time. He apparently lacked the necessary qualifications and had only ever worked as a co-pilot with Garuda Indonesia, German outlet Aero Telegraph reported.
Avion Express, a “wet-lease” company that specializes in providing aircraft and full crews to other airlines, confirmed that it employed the pilot, who has since been removed.
“The company recently became aware of unverified information regarding his professional experience. An internal investigation was immediately launched and is currently ongoing,” a company spokesperson told the outlet.
The carrier added that its hiring procedures line up with aviation regulations and assured that “safety and compliance” are the company’s “highest priorities.”
The man also piloted flights for other Western European airlines through Avion Express, including Eurowings, which is based in Germany.
Eurowings confirmed that it was “[taking] up the matter with our safety experts for a more detailed examination,” the outlet reported.
Avion Express was founded in 2005 and charters flights to Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. It is part of the larger Avia Solutions Group, a Lithuanian-owned holding group headquartered in Ireland.
Its fleet consists of 55 Airbus A320 family aircraft, which can seat up to 180 passengers, according to the Airbus Aircraft website.
Eurowings is a low-cost airline that frequently partners with other airlines, including Avion Express. It is primarily owned by the Lufthansa Group, which holds stakes in multiple other airlines, including Australian Airlines, Swiss International Airlines and Brussels Airlines.
Other high-flying impostors, like notorious conman Frank Abagnale, have forged credentials of airline staff to catch a free ride, but never dared to sit behind the controls.
In June, one Florida man was convicted of fraud after he used roughly 30 different kinds of fake flight attendant credentials to book more than 100 free flights over six years.
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