Reason For The Move Was Not Known, Airline Has Suspended Him Without Pay

He doesn't know quite how, but in August, American Airlines employee Luis Montano found himself on TSA's No-Fly list, and his employer summarily suspended him from his job without pay.

Television station WTVJ in south Florida reports that Montano had worked for the airline 13 years as a gate agent and in cargo operations, as well as at its headquarters in south Florida. He is a U.S. citizen. One day, he was called into his supervisors' office, told he was on the list, and told to go home. He has reportedly not received a paycheck for two months.

Montano had been a frequent international traveler. "In July, I traveled, and in August, I'm on the list," he told the station.

In trying to discover why he had been placed on the list, Montano says he was frustrated because the Department of Homeland Security would provide little information about who it is preventing from flying. Meanwhile, American had told Montano that he was in danger of permanently losing his job.

It may have been a case of mistaken identity (we've heard about those before, ed.), but after being contacted by the station, a letter appeared from Homeland Security saying Montano was no longer on the No-Fly list ... but no explanation was given. Montano said he is still waiting to hear from the airline whether its security department will let him go back to work.

FMI: www.tsa.gov