Authorities in New York are investigating after a Russian national managed to board a Delta flight bound for Paris at John F. Kennedy International Airport without a ticket. The individual was apprehended upon the plane’s arrival at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris.
The incident occurred on Delta Flight 264, which departed from Kennedy on Tuesday night and landed in Paris the following day. According to authorities, the stowaway somehow bypassed security measures at the New York airport.
Upon arrival in Paris, police boarded the plane as captured in a video shared on social media by a passenger. The pilot can be heard announcing, “This is the captain. We’re just waiting for the police to come on board.”
Daniel Velez, a spokesperson for the Transportation Security Administration, confirmed that the individual without a boarding pass had been screened at Kennedy and was not carrying any prohibited items. Velez emphasized the seriousness with which TSA treats incidents at checkpoints and stated that an independent review of the incident would be conducted.
In a statement, a Delta spokesperson underscored the airline’s commitment to safety and security, noting that an exhaustive investigation was underway to determine the circumstances surrounding the breach. Delta pledged to collaborate with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement in the investigation.
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The French National Police confirmed that a Russian passenger had been smuggled onto the flight from JFK to Roissy-Charles de Gaulle. The individual was denied entry to France due to a lack of a valid travel document (visa) but held a valid U.S. residence permit, necessitating her return to the United States.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees Kennedy Airport, declined to provide further comment on the incident.
