Headline: Stowaway Sneaks onto Delta Flight to Paris, Authorities Review Security Footage
Authorities have launched an investigation after a 57-year-old Russian national sneaked onto a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris without a ticket last Tuesday, one of the busiest travel days of the year. The woman, who was identified by a Paris airport official, was able to evade facial recognition ID scanners at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint at John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Inspectors from the TSA are preparing a civil case against the stowaway after reviewing airport security footage. The TSA typically cannot bring criminal charges, but can refer cases to the Justice Department.
The stowaway was able to make it past the TSA checkpoint undetected, and was later found on the plane along with two bottles of water. She was removed from the aircraft after she became unruly, and is currently in custody in France.
French authorities want her to return to the United States voluntarily, but if she refuses, they will forcibly remove her and take her back to the US. She has been evaluated by a doctor and is being held in a deportation zone at Charles de Gaulle Airport, where she can be held for up to 20 days.
The TSA is seeking funding for electronic gates that use facial recognition and only allow access to baggage screening once a passenger has passed the identification screening. The agency says that the incident highlights the need for such technology.
The exact mechanism by which the stowaway made it onto the plane is still unclear, as is how she evaded detection by the flight crew. Delta Air Lines has launched an investigation, which is ongoing.
Experts say that incidents like this do happen infrequently, but they emphasize the importance of vigilance and reporting any suspicious activity to authorities. “As simplistic as it sounds, if you see something, say something,” said Keith Jeffries, a former Department of Homeland Security official.
