[Investigators are trying to determine how a woman managed to get past multiple security checkpoints at New York’s JFK International Airport and board a plane to Paris without a boarding pass. The incident occurred on one of the busiest travel days of the year, with nearly 2.7 million passengers flying on Tuesday, ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday.
According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the stowaway did not have a boarding pass but completed a security screening and bypassed two identity verification and boarding status stations to board a Delta Air Lines aircraft. The incident is being investigated by the TSA, Delta, and law enforcement.
The stowaway, a woman between 55 and 60 years old with a Russian passport, was discovered hiding in the aircraft’s bathrooms during the flight. She was taken into custody by French police at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris, where she was held in a waiting zone for people awaiting deportation, as she does not meet the conditions for entering Europe.
The woman had applied for asylum in France a few years ago, and it is unclear how she managed to bypass security checkpoints. Delta is conducting its own investigation and working collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement.
The incident has raised concerns about security measures in place at JFK Airport, which is one of the busiest airports in the world. The TSA has launched an investigation into the incident, which could result in a civil penalty if the woman is found to have broken security protocols. New York authorities could also arrest her if she is found to have committed a crime.
Passenger Rob Jackson, who was on the flight, described being told to stay seated after landing, with French police boarding the plane to deal with a “serious security issue.” He recorded a video of the flight captain’s announcement, in which he instructed passengers to remain seated until the issue was resolved. The flight was full, with no extra seats available for the stowaway.
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