Ticketless Passenger Discovered on New York-Paris Flight

An individual traveled from New York to Paris earlier this week aboard a flight without a valid ticket, with her presence becoming known near the conclusion of the journey. The woman was on a Delta Airlines service, departing from New York’s JFK International Airport for Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport on Tuesday without a boarding pass, and was apprehended by authorities upon reaching France. According to a Transportation Security Administration source who spoke with CBS News, the BBC’s US news partner, the woman passed through an advanced imaging technology body scanner at JFK Airport and successfully bypassed the document and identification verification procedures during the security screening. The exact circumstances of her discovery remain unknown. A spokesperson for the TSA informed CNN that the woman circumvented two checkpoints for identity verification and boarding status prior to boarding the aircraft. The spokesperson also stated that she was not found to be in possession of any forbidden articles. In a statement issued to CBS, Delta affirmed, “Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security.” The airline further added, “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.” A video shared on social media by a passenger captured the point when the captain informed those on board that they were awaiting the arrival of officials to escort the woman off the aircraft. In the video, the captain was heard stating, “Folks, this is the captain, we are just waiting for the police to come on board.” He continued, “They may be here now and they directed us to keep everyone on the airplane until we sort out the extra passenger that’s on the plane.” The identity of the individual has not been disclosed, though CBS News indicated the person was a woman. Rob Jackson, a passenger aboard the flight, recounted to the New York Times that the trip proceeded normally until the aircraft began its descent, at which point the flight attendants’ intercoms began sounding repeatedly. Mr. Jackson commented, “I fly a lot, and it was unusual for that to be happening just as we were landing.” He further stated that after the plane touched down, the captain instructed passengers to remain in their seats until the matter was resolved. Mr. Jackson observed six or seven police officers subsequently boarding the aircraft and overheard a flight attendant mentioning that a woman had been moving between lavatories throughout the flight.