On Wednesday, the public prosecutor's office of Halle-Vilvoorde demanded prison sentences of 2 years for three men who had defrauded Brussels Airlines for 30,000 euros. The three men - from Romania - had devised a system where they could make purchases onboard flights without having to pay for them.
The men had found out that any purchases made onboard a plane with their bank card were only recorded after landing, meaning that the amount they allegedly spend would only be debited after the flight, and not when the purchase was made.
"But if there was no money in that account, they could buy for free," said the substitute of the public prosecutor's office in Halle-Vilvoorde. "The three of them boarded with empty bank cards and then bought perfumes and other expensive items, without ever paying for them. These things were then sold in Romania."
As the trio booked the cheapest flights, they were able to make a profit of up to 200 euros per trip, making Brussels Airlines 29,981 euros lighter in the process, reports Bruzz.
The public prosecutor demanded two years' imprisonment for the three men, who came to apologise on Wednesday. "We actually thought we were robbing the Romanian Bank," they said.
Jules Johnston
The Brussels Times
