Former Airline Employee Sentenced to 16 Months in Prison for 'Waivers and Favors' Scheme That Defrauded Three Major Airlines
The FBI's Los Angeles Field Office announced on November 3, 2026, that Chaculvin Hayes, 37, of Jacksonville, Florida, was sentenced on November 2 to 16 months in federal prison for participating in a scheme to defraud three major airlines, resulting in total revenue losses of over $600,000. United States District Judge John F. Walter also ordered Hayes to pay $602,886.18 in restitution. Hayes pleaded guilty in June 2026 to one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud.
According to his plea agreement, between January 2017 and December 2019, Hayes and his co-conspirators worked for GAT Airline Ground Support, a contractor that provided ticketing and ground support services at Hollywood Burbank Airport and other locations. Through their jobs, the group had access to airline reservation systems for United and Delta and could also book American flights through airline agreements.
The group exploited a ticketing accommodation process known as "waivers and favors," which is intended to allow authorized customer service employees to make special booking changes when necessary. Hayes used his access to upgrade tickets, for example from economy to first class, without charging the proper fees; to change travel dates and itineraries without required fees; and to create unauthorized Electronic Travel Coupons (ETCs) that could be used like vouchers. Hayes admitted using an alias, "Neeve Andrews," to sell heavily discounted airline tickets obtained through fraudulent reservation modifications and accepted payments from customers. He also admitted using his employee credentials to modify hundreds of Passenger Name Records (PNRs) and to issue dozens of unauthorized vouchers.
Through the hundreds of PNR modifications and the fraudulent ETC vouchers, Hayes and his co-conspirators caused combined losses totaling approximately $602,886.18. The FBI investigated the matter, and Assistant United States Attorney Amanda Elbogen prosecuted the case. (Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Source: Federal Bureau of Investigation
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 美国司法部总部大楼（联邦固定图库） / U.S. Department of Justice headquarters (federal fixed image library)
