[A Russian woman, Svetlana Dali, was arrested on Wednesday night after stowing away on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris last week. Dali, who is 57 years old, is expected to face at least one federal charge and could face up to five years in prison.
According to the FBI, Dali was escorted onto the plane by two French security officials and sat quietly in the back of the aircraft in the middle aisle. She was flanked by security officials on both sides and appeared calm and compliant throughout the flight.
The incident has raised serious questions about airport security, as Dali was able to bypass multiple checkpoints and avoid detection. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has said that this is the only reported case of unauthorized access when over 18 million passengers were screened at TSA security checkpoints during the busiest Thanksgiving travel season ever.
Delta Air Lines has reviewed its own security procedures and has said that a deviation from standard procedures is the root cause of the event. The airline has also said that it is working with law enforcement and conducting an investigation of its own.
Dali is expected to make her initial court appearance on Thursday and is expected to be charged with being a stowaway on a vessel or aircraft without consent. The TSA is preparing a civil case against Dali and is reviewing airport security video from inside JFK Airport.
The incident has also raised questions about how Dali was able to board the flight and whether she had any prior attempts to sneak onto a plane. Authorities have not said whether Dali has tried to sneak onto a plane before or whether she was previously known to law enforcement.
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