The Man Who Lived In An Airport: Nasseri's Story

Iranian refugee Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir Alfred Mehran, lived in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 in Charles de Gaulle Airport from 1988 until 2006, when he was hospitalised. After leaving hospital, he was cared for by the airport's branch of the French Red Cross and lodged in a nearby hotel. In 2007, he was transferred to an Emmaus charity reception centre in Paris, and from 2008 onwards, he lived in a Paris shelter. In the wake of his death in 2022, the Associated Press reported that Nasseri had returned to live at the airport.

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Mehran Karimi Nasseri lived in Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle Airport for 18 years

Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir Alfred Mehran, lived in Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle Airport from 26 August 1988 until July 2006, when he was hospitalized. Nasseri, an Iranian refugee, found himself in legal limbo after his papers were allegedly stolen in Paris. With nowhere else to go, he settled in the airport's departure lounge, where he remained for 18 years.

Nasseri's daily routine at the airport included frequent visits to McDonald's and the Paris Bye Bye bar. He also wrote in his journal, listened to the radio, and smoked a gold pipe. He became a familiar figure to airport staff, who nicknamed him "Lord Alfred" or "Sir Alfred" due to a mistake made by British immigration officials in a letter regarding his case.

In 2003, Steven Spielberg's DreamWorks production company purchased the rights to Nasseri's story for a rumoured $250,000 to $275,000. However, they ultimately did not use his story in their 2004 film "The Terminal," starring Tom Hanks. Nasseri's life inspired several other films and documentaries, including the 1993 film "Lost in Transit" and a 2001 mockumentary, "Here to Where."

Nasseri's 18-year stay at the airport ended in July 2006 when he was hospitalized, and his sitting place was dismantled. After his release from the hospital in January 2007, he was cared for by the airport's branch of the French Red Cross and stayed in a nearby hotel. In March 2007, he was transferred to an Emmaus charity reception centre in Paris, and from 2008 onwards, he resided in a Paris shelter.

In September 2022, Nasseri returned to living at the airport, and on November 12, 2022, he passed away there due to a heart attack. Nasseri's extraordinary life and his long stay at Terminal 1 of Charles de Gaulle Airport have left an enduring mark on popular culture and the imaginations of people worldwide.

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He was stuck in legal limbo and couldn't prove his refugee status

Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir Alfred Mehran, was stuck in legal limbo and couldn't prove his refugee status. He claimed that he was expelled from Iran in 1977 due to his involvement in protests against the Shah. This led to his refugee status being recognized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Belgium. However, investigations disputed this claim, suggesting that Nasseri was never expelled from Iran.

In 1988, Nasseri's papers were lost when his briefcase was allegedly stolen. There are conflicting accounts, with some sources indicating that Nasseri mailed his documents to Brussels while on board a ferry to Britain and lied about them being stolen. When he arrived in London, he was sent back to France when he failed to present a passport to British immigration officials.

Upon his return to France, Nasseri found himself in a precarious situation. He was unable to prove his identity or refugee status and was detained in the waiting area for travelers without papers at Charles de Gaulle Airport. Nasseri's case highlights the complexities and challenges faced by refugees and the impact of losing critical documents.

Nasseri's situation at the airport became prolonged as he struggled to obtain the necessary documentation to resolve his legal limbo. Attempts were made to have new documents issued from Belgium, but the authorities required Nasseri to present himself in person. In the early 2000s, Belgium finally granted him refugee status, but by then, he had already spent 16 years living in the airport.

Nasseri's refusal to acknowledge his legal name, insisting on being called "Sir Alfred Mehran," further complicated matters. This stance made it difficult for legal assistance to be provided, as his legal identity needed to be confirmed. Despite being offered residency in both France and Belgium, Nasseri refused to sign the papers as they listed him as Iranian rather than British and did not include his preferred name.

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He was hospitalised in July 2006, ending his stay at the airport

Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir Alfred Mehran, was hospitalised in July 2006, ending his 18-year stay at the Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, France. His sitting place, a red bench in the pre-departure lounge of Terminal 1, was dismantled, and he left the hospital in January 2007.

Nasseri was an Iranian refugee who lived in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 of the airport from 26 August 1988 until July 2006. He was stuck in legal limbo, unable to prove his identity or refugee status, and was detained in the waiting area for travellers without papers. He became a celebrity of sorts, with airport staff and air crews nicknaming him Alfred or Sir Alfred, and he even inspired a film, The Terminal, by Steven Spielberg, as well as a short story and an opera.

During his time at the airport, Nasseri spent his days and nights around the Paris Bye Bye bar, writing in his journal, listening to the radio, and smoking his gold pipe. He also ate meals at McDonald's, bought for him by strangers, and sometimes sat on a red bench in the Terminal's first level, lost in thought. He kept himself clean, shaving and showering each morning in the airport's public bathroom, and washed his clothes, hanging them over his suitcase to dry.

Nasseri's past is shrouded in mystery, with many conflicting accounts of his early life. He claimed that he was the result of an illegitimate affair between an Iranian doctor and a British or Swedish nurse, and that he had been rejected by his Iranian family. He also claimed to have been imprisoned, tortured, and exiled due to his opposition to the Shah, but these accounts have not been verified. Despite his unusual living situation, Nasseri did not seem to mind life at the airport, telling the New York Times in 1999, "The airport is not bad... It is very active and functions every day. I see different passengers every week from all over the world."

His story inspired the film 'The Terminal' and other works of art

Mehran Karimi Nasseri's life inspired several works of art. Most notably, his story inspired the 2004 Steven Spielberg film The Terminal, starring Tom Hanks. In the film, Hanks plays Viktor Navorski, a man who arrives at JFK airport in New York from the fictional Eastern European country of Krakozhia and discovers that an overnight political revolution has invalidated all his travel papers. Viktor is then dumped into the airport's international lounge and told he must stay there until his status is sorted out, which drags on as unrest in Krakozhia continues.

While Spielberg's film does not mention Nasseri's situation as its inspiration, in September 2003, The New York Times noted that he had bought the rights to Nasseri's life story as the basis for The Terminal. The Guardian also reported that Spielberg's DreamWorks production company paid $250,000 to $275,000 to Nasseri for the rights to his story. However, the film's publicity materials, DVD "special features", and website do not mention Nasseri's situation as an inspiration.

Nasseri's autobiography, The Terminal Man, co-written with British author Andrew Donkin, was published in 2004. It was reviewed in The Sunday Times as being "profoundly disturbing and brilliant". Nasseri's story also inspired the 1993 French film Lost in Transit, starring Jean Rochefort, and the short story "The Fifteen-Year Layover", written by Michael Paterniti and published in GQ and The Best American Non-Required Reading.

Additionally, a documentary about Nasseri, Waiting for Godot at De Gaulle, was made in 2000 by Alexis Kouros. Nasseri's story also inspired the contemporary opera Flight by British composer Jonathan Dove, which premiered at the Glyndebourne Opera House in 1998. Furthermore, Nasseri was the subject of two mockumentaries: Here to Where (2001) by Glen Luchford and Paul Berczeller, and Sir Alfred of Charles De Gaulle Airport (2001) by Hamid Rahmanian and Melissa Hibbard.

He returned to the airport in 2022 and passed away there in November

Mehran Karimi Nasseri, also known as Sir Alfred Mehran, returned to the Charles de Gaulle Airport in 2022, after having left in 2006. He passed away there in November 2022.

Nasseri was an Iranian refugee who lived in the departure lounge of Terminal 1 at the airport from 26 August 1988 until July 2006, when he was hospitalised. His autobiography, titled 'The Terminal Man', was published as a book in 2004. His story inspired the 1993 film 'Lost in Transit' and the 2004 film 'The Terminal'.

Nasseri's 18-year stay at the airport came to an end in 2006 when he was hospitalised and his sitting place was taken away. After being discharged from the hospital in January 2007, he was cared for by the airport's branch of the French Red Cross and lodged in a hotel near the airport. He later moved to a shelter in Paris in 2008.

Nasseri's return to the airport in 2022 was short-lived, as he passed away there in November of the same year. The exact circumstances surrounding his return and subsequent death are not clear, but it appears that the airport held a sense of comfort and familiarity for him. During his initial stay at the airport, Nasseri could often be found around the Paris Bye Bye bar, writing in his journal, listening to the radio, and smoking his gold pipe. He also frequently ate meals at McDonald's, bought for him by strangers.

Nasseri's unique situation and his long-term residence at the airport attracted global attention and sympathy. His story inspired various creative works, including films, documentaries, and an opera.

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