An unusual incident occurred this week on a Delta Air Lines flight from New York’s JFK International Airport to Paris, when a woman managed to board the plane without a boarding pass and hide in the aircraft’s bathrooms during the flight.
The woman, a Russian passport holder between the ages of 55 and 60, was not carrying any prohibited items and passed through security screening before evading two identity checks and boarding stations, according to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA).
The discovery was made after the flight had landed at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, CNN reported.
On one of the busiest travel days of the year, the woman’s actions prompted an “exhaustive investigation” by both Delta and law enforcement officials. Delta confirmed they are working with aviation authorities to fully understand how the security breach occurred. A TSA spokesperson stated that no items of concern were found with the stowaway, and she was not carrying a boarding pass. Despite this, questions remain over how she managed to bypass several checkpoints before boarding the plane.
The woman, who had applied for asylum in France previously, is currently being held in a detention zone at Paris’s Charles de Gaulle Airport. As she did not meet the criteria for entering Europe, she will soon be returned to the United States, where authorities could impose civil penalties or criminal charges. The TSA is leading the investigation, although no involvement from New York authorities has been reported yet.
Rob Jackson, a passenger on the Delta flight, described the confusion that unfolded during the flight. After landing, passengers were instructed to remain seated as French police boarded to address the “serious security issue” caused by the stowaway. Jackson noted that flight attendants had discussed how the woman had moved between lavatories, concealing herself in the rear of the plane throughout the flight.
While Delta has stated that passenger safety remains their top priority, the incident raises serious questions about airport security protocols, particularly during peak travel times. Investigators are still looking into the details of how the woman managed to bypass multiple security measures without detection. In the coming weeks, more information is expected to be revealed as both Delta and law enforcement agencies continue their inquiries into the breach.
This startling event highlights the challenges of maintaining security during high-volume travel periods and emphasizes the need for stricter procedures to prevent similar incidents in the future. The TSA’s investigation is ongoing, and while the woman will soon be sent back to the U.S., the fallout from this security breach is far from over.