An unqualified pilot flew passenger jets across Europe for months after forging his qualifications with fake certificates, a Lithuanian airline has revealed. The fraudster, who had only ever worked as a co-pilot for Indonesian airline Garuda, is alleged to have bluffed his way into a captain’s role after fooling his employer with counterfeited credentials, the Aero Telegraph reports. His employer, Lithuanian-based carrier Avion Express, is a “wet-lease” airline that specializes in providing aircraft with full crews to other airlines at short notice, with clients including EasyJet, TUI, and Sun Express, among others. An Axiom spokesperson confirmed an internal investigation into the incident was underway after the airline became aware of “unverified information regarding his personal experience.” The airline also emphasized its hiring practices are compliant with aviation regulations and that safety remains its “highest priority.” German airline Eurowings, which has worked with Axiom, told BILD, “The investigation into the case is the responsibility of Avion Express and is not yet complete – we are currently waiting for the facts to be clarified.”
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