Airport Chaos: Passenger Hijacks Tarmac Tug

Airplanes on airport tarmac at sunset — Photo: joyfull / Shutterstock

A man waiting for his flight to Seattle slipped out a terminal door, stole an airport tug, crashed it, and then tried to steal a second vehicle before police caught him on the open tarmac.

Story Snapshot

Skyler Barr, 26, of Everett, Washington, allegedly breached Gate 12 at John Wayne Airport and drove onto the active airfield.
He stole an Alaska Airlines tug and crashed it into another vehicle near Gate 7, officials said.
He then tried to steal an American Airlines lavatory truck before officers stopped him.
He faces charges of vehicle theft, trespassing, and vandalism.
The breach briefly halted ground operations and closed the Gate 7 area for about 10 minutes.

Passenger Breaches Security Gate Before Flight

The incident happened around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at John Wayne Airport in Santa Ana, California. Airport officials say a Delta Air Lines passenger booked on a flight to Seattle left the terminal through an emergency exit door near Gate 12. He walked straight onto the active airfield, an area normally sealed off from the public for safety reasons.

Once on the tarmac, the man allegedly climbed into an Alaska Airlines tug, a heavy vehicle crews use to tow luggage carts and push aircraft. He drove it across the airfield and crashed into another vehicle parked near Gate 7, according to airport officials.

Air Traffic Control Scrambles as Ground Stop Called

Air traffic control audio captured the chaos as it unfolded. A controller told a pilot that “someone stole a tug” and declared a security breach, warning that a ground stop was going into effect. Flights paused briefly and the Gate 7 area shut down for about 10 minutes while police moved in to find the man.

Not satisfied with one stolen vehicle, the man then tried to commandeer a second truck, this one used by American Airlines to empty aircraft lavatories. Police caught up to him before he could drive off in it, according to officials. The entire episode, from breach to arrest, lasted roughly 10 minutes, a law enforcement source said.

Suspect Identified and Formally Charged

Authorities identified the man as Skyler Barr, 26, of Everett, Washington. Orange County Sheriff’s Department spokesperson Sergeant Gerard McCann said Barr was charged with vehicle theft, trespassing, and vandalism. He had been a passenger on a Delta flight scheduled to depart for Seattle before the incident unfolded.

Most passengers waiting for their flight to Seattle find a bar or sit at the gate. One Delta passenger at John Wayne Airport allegedly decided to take a slightly different route.

Airport officials say the man slipped into the restricted ramp area at around 5:30pm Tuesday before… pic.twitter.com/z27jOOltze

— Flightdrama (@flightdrama) October 7, 2026

No injuries were reported among airport staff, crew, or passengers during the chase. The disruption stayed contained to the Gate 7 area, and normal operations resumed once officers took Barr into custody. Video of the tug speeding across the tarmac quickly spread online as travelers and aviation accounts shared the footage.

Part of a Larger Pattern of Airfield Breaches

This was not an isolated event in the history of American airports. An Associated Press investigation found 268 perimeter-security breaches at major U.S. airports between 2004 and 2015, including 44 that reached runways, taxiways, or gate areas. A separate study found fence intrusions at 31 major airports happening roughly every 9.5 to 13 days.

Most of these breaches end the same way this one did: a brief scare, a quick police response, and no lasting harm. But each incident raises fresh questions about how easily someone can bypass the layers of security meant to keep the public off active runways where planes, fuel trucks, and heavy equipment constantly move.