A woman traveling from New York to France recently evaded several security checkpoints at JFK airport and was able to sneak her way onto a Paris-bound flight. After eventually getting caught, the stowaway caused a “disruptive outburst” just before her return flight. She was then kicked off of the plane and is now stuck in France waiting to be brought back to the States.
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The woman’s flight back to New York was supposed to arrive Saturday afternoon. According to the New York Post, it’s still not clear when the stowaway will be brought back to the U.S. to face charges.
As of now, the sneaky traveler is being held in custody at Charles de Gaulle Airport. She is also expected to be “arrested and charged by multiple law enforcement agencies.”
The woman, a 57-year-old with a Russian passport and a U.S. green card, was apparently able to make it past multiple security checkpoints. Without a boarding pass or identification. She boarded a Delta flight to France and rotated between restrooms during the trip. The flight was fully booked, but the stowaway was not discovered until they landed.
There are currently multiple investigations underway to try and figure out how the traveler was able to evade the TSA’s screeners and boarding checkpoint. TSA said that although the woman “did not pose a threat to civil aviation”, it’s still necessary to conduct a proper investigation.
Airline Reacts To Stowaway’s Scheme
A passenger aboard the same flight posted to Instagram after the stowaway was caught. The caption read, “We somehow flew all the way from New York to Paris with a stowaway. This woman somehow got on the plane. And hid in a lavatory during takeoff and wasn’t detected until we were about to land.”
In response to the situation, a spokesperson for Delta also made a statement. They said, “Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security. That’s why Delta is conducting an exhaustive investigation of what may have occurred. And will work collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement to that end.”
The woman will be arrested and charged upon her arrival back to New York. The federal charges she will face are still to be determined.