Marilyn Hartman

Marilyn Jean Hartman
Born1951 or 1952 (age 72–73)[1]
NationalityAmerican
Known forStowing away on commercial airline flights

Marilyn Hartman (born 1951 or 1952), known as the Serial Stowaway, is an American woman known for stowing away on at least 22 commercial airline flights since 2014.[2] She has been widely dubbed a "real-life Ada Quonsett" after the infamous "harmless little old lady and habitual stowaway" character, played by Helen Hayes, from the 1970 movie Airport.

Hartman's attorneys said in 2021 that she is mentally ill and that her stowaway conduct is a compulsive behavior.[2] Hartman is homeless and believes a worldwide conspiracy, operating with the permission of Barack Obama, has spent decades harassing her and that it triggers a "fight or flight" response that compels her to "get on a plane to go away."[1] In March 2022, Hartman pleaded guilty in Cook County Court to felony counts of criminal trespass and escape from electronic monitoring and was sentenced to 42 months in prison.

  1. ^ a b Eskanazi, Joe (2018-01-25). "'Serial stowaway': how does a 66-year-old woman keep sneaking on to flights?". The Guardian. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
  2. ^ a b Marie Fazio (March 19, 2021). "'Serial Stowaway' Is Arrested at O'Hare (Again), 2 Days After TV Confessional". New York Times.