Passenger 'lived in airport for three months over Covid fears'

A passenger “scared to go home” due to Covid-19 allegedly lived in an airport in Chicago for three months until he was finally arrested.

Aditya Singh was charged with criminal trespass and misdemeanour theft in court on Sunday, when the bizarre allegations were read out.

According to the Chicago Tribune, prosecutors said 36-year-old Singh arrived at O’Hare International Airport from Los Angeles on October 19 and reportedly lived in the airport’s security zone ever since.

Two United Airlines employees approached Singh on Saturday afternoon, according to prosecutors, and asked to see identification.

Assistant State Attorney Kathleen Hagerty said Singh showed them an airport ID badge hanging from his neck - which actually belonged to an operations manager who had reported it missing in October.

The employees called 911 and police took Singh into custody.

Ms Hagerty said Singh reportedly found the badge in the airport and was “scared to go home due to Covid.”

She told the judge other passengers were giving him food.

Cook County Judge Susana Ortiz reacted incredulously on Sunday after a prosecutor detailed the allegations.

“So if I understand you correctly,” Ms Ortiz said, "you’re telling me that an unauthorised, non-employee individual was allegedly living within a secure part of the O’Hare airport terminal from October 19, 2020, to January 16, 2021, and was not detected?

“I want to understand you correctly.”

As a condition of bail, Ortiz barred Singh from going to the airport again if he is able to pay the £737 ($1,000) bail cost.

He is due back in court on January 27.