"Serial Stowaway" Marilyn Hartman: How an American Woman Flew Free Planes for 20 Years

A quiet, almost invisible elderly woman, Marilyn Hartman became a nightmare for airport security around the world. Her name became synonymous with daring and almost unbelievable infiltrations onto flights. For years, she flew without a ticket, calmly passing through security and inspection as if it were a casual stroll. How did she do it—and most importantly, what motivated her?

When we think of free riders, we immediately think of buses, trams, and commuter trains. But it's hard to imagine someone regularly flying for free. But American Marilyn Hartman proved it's possible. For 19 years, she flew for free on various airlines, taking around 30 flights.

She was detained dozens of times, jailed, sent to a psychiatric hospital, banned from airports, and removed from planes already taxiing to the runway. But as soon as she was released, it all started again. The "serial stowaway"—as she was nicknamed at American airports—seemed invincible until, at some point, she stopped herself.

Why did this seemingly ordinary, well-off, middle-aged woman commit crimes time and again? Hartman wasn't driven by hooligan tendencies or even a passion for travel. It was all explained by obsessive-compulsive disorder: Marilyn was literally compelled to repeat the same behavior over and over again. Yet, for a long time, neither she nor the airport staff even suspected her diagnosis.

Marilyn Hartman's aerial odyssey officially began in 2014, when the first documented attempt by an American to board a plane without a ticket was recorded. Although she admitted to having stowed away flights before, she simply hadn't been caught. Hartman also recounted the first time she passed through security without boarding documents.

It all started simply: she joined the line behind a young man carrying a blue bag, and the staff mistook her for an escort. She got through—and that was it. This fluke proved fatal. From then on, Marilyn repeated the trick again and again.

Of course, the "serial stowaway" wasn't always lucky. In August 2014, she flew from San Jose to Los Angeles, but after landing, flight attendants noticed an extra passenger. She was detained, taken to court, and charged with illegally boarding a commercial flight.

Six months later, another episode: a flight from Minnesota to Florida, an arrest in Jacksonville after attempting to check into a hotel under a false name. Sometimes, she was exposed right on the plane when the real ticket holder took "her" place.

Every arrest meant a report, a trial, and a new case. Marilyn quickly became a regular in courtrooms across the country. The first time, she got off with a nominal fine—her age was a factor. But in 2015, she received a suspended sentence for attempted identity fraud.

In 2016, she served a full year in prison for another trespassing offense. At the time, she was living in a psychiatric facility with the right to free leave. The court took into account her unstable mental state, but still sentenced her to prison. After serving her full sentence, Marilyn was released... and headed to the airport again.

In 2018, she tried again to board a flight and almost succeeded. Covering her face with her hair, Marilyn slipped past two agents at Chicago Airport. That time, she successfully made it to London, but was detained by immigration officials. Hartman, who crossed the ocean by air, didn't even have a passport! She was deported to the United States, where she faced another trial.

The defense was able to dismiss most of the charges. However, Marilyn Hartman still received an 18-month suspended sentence for trespassing at O'Hare Airport. She was also prohibited from approaching the airport and recommended to undergo a psychiatric evaluation.

But just a year later, the stowaway was detained again at the same airport, again without a ticket or identification. Since Marilyn already had a suspended sentence, she was briefly sent to prison. The coronavirus pandemic helped her get out early. She was released, but on the condition that she enter a rehabilitation center.

To monitor Hartman, an electronic ankle bracelet was placed on her. Naturally, it didn't help. Soon, the device signaled that Marilyn was heading toward the airport. Marilyn Hartman was last arrested in 2022. She pleaded guilty, but the charges were dropped due to her diagnosis and advanced age.

Journalist Eric Zorn, who personally spoke with Marilyn, called her story both touching and tragic. She suffered from bipolar disorder and was prone to emotional breakdowns. Trials, fines, and prison sentences did nothing to improve her condition.

Marilyn herself said that once she was in the salon, she felt no joy or triumph. Just an inexplicable urge to run, drive, or fly somewhere. If it didn't work out today, she'd come back tomorrow and keep trying until she got it right.

To get on the plane, the woman used various methods. Sometimes she'd show a discarded boarding pass. But more often, Hartman would simply stand behind someone in line and pass unnoticed. Her appearance as a pretty, neat old woman helped her. No one would expect trickery from such attractive older women.

In his article about Marilyn, Zorn emphasized the harmlessness of her actions. She caused no harm or even inconvenience to anyone, and if exposed, she meekly went with the police. Moreover, the journalist believes Hartman was a significant asset to airlines. She exposed the flaws in their security systems, allowing them to take action to address them. This is important, because instead of a sweet old lady, a criminal or even a terrorist could infiltrate the aircraft cabin.

In 2021, the diagnosis was finally confirmed. Unfortunately, the disease progressed, developing delusions of persecution and a belief in a global conspiracy led by Barack Obama. She boarded a plane to "fly away and save her life."

In 2022, when Marilyn avoided another two-year sentence, she turned 70. She has officially confirmed 22 flights, but she herself claims to have had 30+, and that she later lost count.

Marilyn Hartman's story is not only a series of violations but also a mirror reflecting the failures of security systems, society's attitudes toward mental illness, and the eternal question: where is the line between punishment and compassion? What do you think?