Officials think woman boarded Southwest flight as a stowaway because she was lonely

Authorities believe a woman who made her way onto a Los Angeles-bound plane without a ticket and was arrested as a stowaway likely took the flight because she was lonely.

On Monday night, officials say Marilyn Hartman, 62, went to Mineta San Jose International Airport and walked past the first TSA checkpoint when the agent was distracted. From there, she allegedly went through screening and then boarded Southwest Flight 3785 to L.A. She was arrested an hour later when the plane landed at LAX; during the flight, the cabin crew did a count of the passengers and discovered the extra person.

Earlier this year, Hartman was banned from San Francisco International Airport after allegedly trying to board three different planes without a ticket. In April, she was discovered at SFO for the sixth time, and San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe told SF Weekly she seems like a "very lonely person."

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Southwest could be fined for the breach, and in a statement told the Los Angeles Times it was investigating the matter. "Our number one priority remains the safety and security of our customers and airline," the company said. Hartman was arrested on suspicion of trespassing and jailed in lieu of $500 bail.