Man lived at O'Hare for 3 months, claims he was scared of the coronavirus
Instead of sheltering in place, one man decided to avoid contracting the novel coronavirus by hiding out at one of the world's busiest airports for three months.
Aditya Singh, a 36-year-old from a Los Angeles suburb, said he was "scared to go home due to [COVID-19]" the Chicago Tribune reported on Sunday.
Prosecutors said Singh flew to Chicago O'Hare International (ORD) from Los Angeles (LAX) on Oct. 19 and managed to live undetected in a secure section of the airport until Saturday, Jan. 16, 2021, when he was caught.
Judge Susana Ortiz, of Cook County, Illinois, responded to the allegations "incredulously," according to the Tribune.
"So, if I understand you correctly," Ortiz said, "you're telling me that an unauthorized, nonemployee individual was allegedly living within a secure part of the O'Hare airport terminal ... and was not detected? I want to understand you correctly."
On Saturday, two United Airlines employees asked to see Singh's identification. He was wearing the badge of an airport operations manager who had reported it missing on Oct. 26. Police took Singh into custody at Terminal 2 near Gate F12 before noon.
Singh, who has a master's degree in hospitality but is currently unemployed, claims he found the badge, and said other travelers gave him food. He is charged with felony criminal trespass to a restricted area and misdemeanor theft. As a condition of his $1,000 bail, Singh is prohibited from stepping foot in O'Hare.
"The court finds these facts and circumstances quite shocking for the alleged period of time that this occurred," Ortiz said. "Being in a secured part of the airport under a fake ID badge allegedly, based upon the need for airports to be absolutely secure so that people feel safe to travel, I do find those alleged actions do make him a danger to the community."
Airports are many things, but I'm not sure they're really the best place to avoid contracting a highly contagious virus. Even the International Air Transport Association (IATA), which in October said the chance of getting COVID-19 on a plane was less than getting struck by lightning, admitted there's risk elsewhere in the travel process, such as at the airport.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) strongly recommends avoiding crowds during the ongoing pandemic, and ORD saw 2,331,635 passengers during the month of September alone.
It also stands to reason that Singh did not have a credit card that gave him lounge access. Otherwise, he probably wouldn't have been scrounging around for scraps from Auntie Anne's.
Singh's extended layover may bring to mind "The Terminal," Steven Spielberg's comedy-drama about a man who spends nine months at New York-JFK — which was inspired by the true story of Mehran Karimi Nasseri, an Iranian refugee who lived at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG) for nearly two decades.
But Singh's three-month-long stay is concerning, considering how secure airports are supposed to be. I can't even get a bottle of water through security, but somehow this man decided that instead of booking a vacation home he'd overnight between a Hudson News and a Skybridge Bar & Grill.
"While this incident remains under investigation," the Chicago Department of Aviation (CDA) said in a statement, "CDA has no higher priority than the safety and security of our airports, which is maintained by a coordinated and multilayered law enforcement network. We have been able to determine that this gentleman did not pose a security risk to the airport or to the traveling public. We will continue to work with our law enforcement partners on a thorough investigation of this matter."
Feature photo by aoldman / Getty Images.
TPG featured card
at American Express's secure site
Terms & restrictions apply. See rates & fees.
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 5X | New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Pros
- Valuable dining and food-related credits
- Flexible rewards with airline and hotel transfer partners
- Multiple travel and purchase protections
- No foreign transaction fees
- Access to Amex Offers for additional savings (enrollment required)
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $8,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- New! Earn 5X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid hotel stays booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points on flights booked through AmexTravel.com, the Amex Travel App, or purchased directly from airlines.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points on prepaid car rentals booked through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App and cruises booked and paid through AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- Pay It® lets you tap in the American Express® App to quickly pay for small purchase amounts throughout the month and still earn rewards the way you usually do. Plan It® gives you the option to split up big purchases into equal monthly payments with a fixed fee. You’ll know upfront exactly how much you’ll pay.
- Updated! $120 Dining Credit: Earn up to a total of $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the Gold Card at Grubhub (including Seamless), Buffalo Wild Wings, Five Guys, The Cheesecake Factory, and Wonder. This can be an annual savings of up to $120. Enrollment required.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year at over 10,000 qualifying U.S. Resy restaurants after you pay for eligible purchases with the American Express® Gold Card. That’s up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: Earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin’ locations. Enrollment required.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Enjoy up to $120 in Uber Cash annually with your Gold Card. Just add your Card to your Uber account and you'll get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an Amex Card for your transaction.
- New! As an American Express® Gold Card Member, you can enjoy complimentary Hertz Five Star® Status. Enjoy benefits like skipping the counter at select locations, adding an additional driver at no additional cost*, and vehicle upgrades**. Benefit enrollment and Hertz Gold+ registration are required. *Additional drivers must meet standard rental qualifications and must be a spouse or domestic partner to qualify as complimentary. Other additional drivers subject to fees. **Benefits are subject to availability and vary by location. Additional Hertz program Terms and Conditions including age restrictions apply.
- Take advantage of a $100 credit towards eligible charges* at over 1,300 upscale hotels worldwide when you book The Hotel Collection through AmexTravel.com or the Amex Travel App **. *Eligible charges vary by property. **The Hotel Collection requires a two-night minimum stay.
- Book your travel through the Amex Travel App with added peace of mind – backed by American Express® service and support. Only for American Express® Card Members.
- Whenever you need us, we're here. Our Member Services team will ensure you are taken care of. From lost Card replacement to statement questions, we are available to help 24/7.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.