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Al Kyder's Virgin on the ridiculous.

Jano Gibson
August 18, 2006 - 4:17PM

It's a prank Bart Simpson would be proud of. After several controversial stunts, including trying to flog knuckle-dusters outside a Bulldogs rugby league game and approaching the Prime Minister, John Howard, with an over-sized axe, ABC TV's Chaser boys have struck again.

The pranksters pulled off a stunt at Sydney Airport on Wednesday which saw Virgin Blue staff make a "final boarding call" announcement for five late passengers, including one which sounded suspiciously like Mr Al Qaeda and another which sounded like Mr Terrorist.

Less than a week since UK and US authorities foiled a plot to blow-up mid-air trans-Atlantic flights, The Chaser's War on Everything decided to test domestic airport security in the most "puerile" way possible.

The satirical show's executive producer, Julian Morrow, said two tickets were booked online under the names "Mr Al Kyder" and "Mr Terry Wrist" for an 8.30am Virgin Blue flight from Sydney to Melbourne.

He picked up the boarding passes using the airline's self-serve computers, which do not require proof of photo identification.

Then, after deliberately failing to board the plane, an announcement was made over the airport's loud speaker system.

"Good morning ladies and gentleman," the announcement said. "This is the final boarding call for [name withheld], [name withheld], Al Kyder, [name withheld], and Terry Wrist, all travelling to Melbourne today on Virgin Blue flight 822."

Julian Morrow told smh.com.au: "We've been following the media coverage about airline security and, in particular, whether domestic security is lighter, and we thought we would test that in the most puerile way that we could."

"We are giving Bart Simpson a writer's credit on the show," he said, referring to the cartoon character's penchant for prank calls.

Virgin Blue described The Chaser's stunt as "childish humour" but said security was never at risk.