An Indonesian passenger who travelled on a flight with Batik Air, was arrested when she was found masquerading as a flight attendant.
She was discovered mid-flight on a flight traveling in Indonesia from Palembang to Jakarta. Although she had purchased a valid ticket, the 23-year-old woman wore a fake Batik Air uniform and carried a fake crew ID badge, allowing her to blend in with airline staff until she was questioned by real flight attendants.
In now-viral videos posted on social media, the woman, who has since been identified as Khairun Nisya, is seen wearing an outfit similar to the uniform worn by the airline’s female flight attendants. She even sported a French twist, a hairstyle common among female cabin crew.
Palembang airport officials said she passed through normal passenger security screening and did not raise any alarms before boarding. The airport’s General Manager, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab, said that she had a valid boarding pass and was not carrying any prohibited items.
The impersonation was uncovered after Batik Air crew members noticed inconsistencies in Nisya’s uniform and her inability to answer basic operational questions. The flight attendants questioned her about her supposed duties, and when her answers didn’t align with airline procedures, they alerted aviation security to meet the aircraft upon arrival in Jakarta.
Aviation security officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were notified, and Nisya was led away for investigations when the aircraft landed.
Impersonator issues apology
Video footage of her detention and admission was later released by authorities, prompting public attention and a range of reactions across social media platforms.
Investigations by the Indonesian National Police revealed that she had previously failed to secure a job as a flight attendant. Out of embarrassment, Nisya said she wore the uniform to make her family believe that she was hired.
It is not known whether she was charged for committing the offence.
She has since issued a video apology to Lion Group and Batik Air. Lion Air and Batik Air are sister airlines under Indonesia’s Lion Air Group, with Lion Air being a low-cost carrier and Batik Air operating as a hybrid/full-service airline.
Garuda Indonesia denies hiring the impersonator
In a strange twist to this tale, Garuda Indonesia has denied claims circulating on social media that it had hired this lady impersonator.
The airline was responding to online posts featuring a photograph of Khairun Nisa shaking hands with an individual purported to be a senior executive at Garuda Indonesia. The image was accompanied by captions alleging that she had been accepted into the airline, which Garuda Indonesia said were false and misleading.
Garuda said the information circulating online was untrue and had been manipulated using artificial intelligence. The airline said it had never accepted the woman as a cabin crew candidate and added that the airline is currently not conducting any cabin crew recruitment through any platform.
Garuda also urged the public to remain vigilant and not to be easily influenced by unverified information circulating on social media.
In June 2025, CNN reported that a man accused of falsely posing as a flight attendant to reap dozens of free flights in Florida, USA, was convicted of wire fraud and fraudulently entering the secure area of an airport. He had taken 34 free flights by pretending to be a flight attendant or a pilot. He was also convicted of entering the secure area at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport under false pretenses, authorities said.
Photos from AsiaOne.
