Travel News

Icarus Awards: Suri Suffers, Santa Snubbed & More Incidents at Security

Locations in this article:  Detroit, MI Miami, FL Rome, Italy

You can’t fly private forever…Suri Cruise learned that lesson the hard way this week. And Cruise’s spawn wasn’t the only one to pass through the hands of airport security. Keep reading to find out how a recent vet, an 11-year-old with a sense of adventure and some Miami travelers all had some questionable airport screenings in this week’s Icarus Award roundup.

No Borders, No Boundaries

On Tuesday, Paulo Morales, who was a U.S. Customs and Border Protection agent in Miami International Airport, pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting three women. The 47-year-old officer admitted to groping women’s breasts without their consent while in his custody on several dates in January 2011. Following the guilty plea, he now faces sentencing on October 26 with the maximum penalty of 3 years in prison and a fine of up to $300,000. U.S. Immigration Customs Enforcement and two attorneys for the Southern Florida’s District Attorney’s Office released statements speaking out against his betrayal of trust and civil rights’ violations.

No Ticket, No Problem

After a fight with his mother at the supermarket, 11-year-old Liam Corcoran-Fort hopped the first bus, kept going and ended up in Rome. Without a passport or a ticket, Fort was able to board a plane to Rome. Though his intention was to use the restroom and not leave the UK, Fort said to UK paper  The Sun, “It was easier than my homework, even easier than a computer game.” Fort was sent back to his mother after 2 hours in Rome, but the high-profile security breach has larger implications for UK security on the eve of the Olympics. So far three airline staffers have been suspended during an investigation.

A Fellow Santa Impersonator

See You Later, Santa

Summer should be off season for Santa, but professional Kris Kringle impersonator Thomas Tolbert brought his character with him for his most recent trip to Disney World’s Magic Kingdom. Though he wasn’t wearing the typical red suit, Tolbert did have on a red and green outfit…including a Santa-themed shirt. As a result, he was often stopped to take pictures with other visitors. After three days, Disney staff informed Tolbert of their no adult costume rule. Tolbert, who stated Disney does not own Santa, refused to send guests away from photo ops. And he opted to forgo the free park hopper passes to stay true to his identity as a Santa impersonator.

Dishonoring Our Troops

You might think that our nation’s capital would be a safe haven for today’s veterans, but disabled veteran Jim Stanek had the 3-day layover from hell in Dulles International Airport. Starting on July 15, Stanek claims he and his service dog Sarge were abused by United Airlines. In a video released on YouTube, Stanek, who has suffered traumatic brain injury after three tours in Iraq, described airline employees kicking his dog multiple times and calling him retarded. The DOT is further investigating the incident and the airline has also reached out to Stanek.

Infrequent Flier

According to the gossip blogs, Suri Cruise, offspring of soon-to-be-divorced Tom Cruise and Katie Holmes, has withstood another first in her new life with her mother: the first commercial flight. Pictures have been published of Suri looking puzzled in a New York airport en route to Detroit, the closest airport to Holmes’ parents in Toledo, Ohio. Once there, Suri enjoyed a trip to the local Target and a swim in the country club pool.

No Love At Love Field won the last poll. Click here to see the full roster of Icarus winner & losers. Then cast your vote for this week’s winner.

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By Lily J. Kosner for PeterGreenberg.com

Related Links: New York Daily News, USA Today, Huffington Post, MSNBC, Daily Mail