Fake ‘Catch Me If You Can’ cabin crew boards flight after airline won’t hire her

Khairun Nisya, 23 from Palembang, Indonesia boarded Batik Air flight 7058 dressed in clothes similar to their flight attendants – but it wasn’t long before staff noticed something amiss

A woman dressed up as a cabin crew member and boarded a plane after allegedly being turned down for a job with the airline. Khairun Nisya, 23 from Palembang, Indonesia boarded Batik Air flight 7058 dressed in clothes similar to their flight attendants.

But it wasn’t long before crew members became suspicious when she couldn’t carry out assigned duties and didn’t answer questions well when quizzed. They also noticed that the patterns on her “uniform” and staff pass did not match with the airline’s official uniform and credentials, reports AsiaOne.

The incident, which happened on January 6 was compared to the film, Catch Me If You Can starring Leonardo DiCaprio who impersonates a pilot. Viral videos since posted on X shows Nisya dressed in a white blouse and red skirt with her hair in a French twist.

She was even carrying a Batik Air-branded suitcase and an ID card around her neck with the name ‘Nisya’ printed on the front. Passengers onboard the Airbus A320 were even given instructions by the imposter. But her deception was soon discovered when suspicious staff noted the flaws in her disguise.

They said her skirt was the wrong shade of purple, and her ‘official’ ID used a design that was phased out a decade ago. Palembang airport authorities reportedly said that Nisya departed the airport through standard passenger screening channels, had a valid boarding pass and was not carrying any prohibited items.

She was allowed to board the aircraft, general manager of Palembang’s Sultan Mahmud Badaruddin II Airport, Ahmad Syaugi Shahab told local media.

The impersonation only came to light once she was on board the plane and began mimicking cabin crew. Aviation security officers at Jakarta’s Soekarno-Hatta International Airport were notified, and Nisya was led away for investigations when the aircraft landed.

Indonesian National Police later discovered that she had previously failed to secure a job as a flight attendant. Nisya said she wore the uniform to make them believe that she was hired.

She has since issued a video apology to Lion Group and Batik Air. In it, she said: “My name is Khairun Nisya. I am 23 years old, from Palembang. It is true that I flew on Batik Air Flight ID 7058 on Jan 6, 2026, wearing a flight attendant uniform,” Nisya said.

“I am not a Batik Air cabin crew member. I sincerely apologise to Batik Air and Lion Group.”

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