The fake pilot who attempted to access a restricted area at Auckland International Airport carried out the stunt for a television show, it has been reported.
3News said it understood the imposter was from the comedy programme Wannaben, which features former Pulp Sport host Ben Boyce. The show appears on TV3 on Saturday nights.
The fake pilot left the airport when Air New Zealand gate staff refused to let him board without the required photo identification.
He was then seen getting into a waiting van, Aviation Security Service general manager Mark Everitt told Radio New Zealand today.
A spokeswoman for MediaWorks, which owns TV3, said she understood the crew of the show were meeting with police this morning.
"So we're not able to comment until that meeting has been concluded."
More details would be released this afternoon, she said.
She could not comment on whether MediaWorks management was aware of the plan beforehand.
Earlier today Prime Minister John Key said he suspected the incident was a prank but Pilot's Association president Glen Kenny expressed concern at the similarity of the uniform to a real pilot's.
"It's heartening to know that when someone does something as serious as trying to impersonate a pilot, they didn't get anywhere with it," Kenny said.
However, he said he was concerned that the uniform looked "pretty close" to authentic when such outfits were "incredibly difficult to come by".
"Air New Zealand consider the sale and distribution of their uniforms a very serious matter, and go to great lengths to track them - old and new," Kenny said.
"You don't tend to see pilot uniforms in a costume hire place.
"They're so rare you'd almost have to manufacture it yourself and then you'd struggle, hopefully, to make it look right."
SECURITY BOLSTERED
Everitt defended the fact the imposter was allowed to leave the airport without security being called. He said airport staff may have believed he was a pilot due to his uniform and the excuse he used for not having proper ID.
"The issue of a person being in a uniform could have meant that the staff members may have believed that the person was a pilot because there was a discussion around the identification... and the explanation given as to where the identification card was. I can't comment further than that," he said.
"The person then left that area with instructions to get that identification or verify it through the Aviation Security Service."
All airport staff were required to carry the ID, he said.
Everitt would not comment on how the man was spotted getting into the van. He would not say whether staff followed him or the imposter was caught on CCTV, nor would he speculate on motives.
Everitt wouldn't say whether the possibility that it was a prank was being considered, or on suggestions the man was spotted giving the thumbs down signal to someone in the van.
The airport had beefed up security as a result, with pilots briefed to expect further checks, he said.
"The outcome will be more inconvenience for genuine airport workers and pilots in terms of their verification if you like as they report to duty and move through airports in their day."
Police spokesman Detective Superintendent Andy Lovelock yesterday said the effort the man went to get to the airport's restricted area was of "a significant concern".
Police described the man as a European in his late 20s or 30s, more than 1.8m tall, and of medium build. He had brown hair and distinctive tattoos on his forearms.
He was wearing a white shirt with epaulets with gold bands, a dark tie, blue trousers, dark shoes, a dark cap, a silver-winged badge and was carrying a large black briefcase.
Police asked anyone who could identify the man or the vehicle to call Counties Manukau police on 09 259 0600 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
HISTORY OF PRANKS
TV3 show Pulp Sport mixed sport with comedy and was hosted by Jamie Linehan and Ben Boyce. Pranks were a core part of the show.
In 2004 it hired a plane to fly an offensive message aimed at Sky rugby league commentator Stephen McIvor over a Warriors game in Auckland.
Neither McIvor nor police considered it funny, and Linehan and Boyce received a police warning.
Some of the show's other pranks have been:
* Trying to sneak beer into a sports stadium where there is an enforced alcohol ban;
* A weekly clip of an unknown man, streaking at inappropriate events such as a lawn bowls or golf;
* A segment in which one host, dressed as a sportsman, deliberately commits anti-social acts such as getting invited into a netball game, then throwing the ball over the fence;
* Using the stereotype that people of Asian descent are poor drivers. Someone of Asian descent commits anti-social acts driving (hitting) a golf ball, where it is likely to upset people.
- Auckland Now
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