Stowaway found on Delta flight

DELTA AIRLINES BOEING 737-832 N374DA (MSN 29622)

On the 26th of November a stowaway was discovered aboard Delta Air Lines flight DL264 from New York (JFK/KJFK) to Paris (CDG/LFPG). The stowaway was identified while the plane was en route to Paris. Flight attendants became suspicious of the woman who was frequently moving between lavatories and staying inside for long periods, especially since the flight was fully booked and there were no spare seats. 

After being alerted by the attendants, the pilots notified the authorities, and the woman was detained by police upon arrival in Paris. The TSA reported that the stowaway managed to pass through airport screening, evade two identity checks, and board the plane without a boarding pass. The incident is currently under investigation.

Delta is working with law enforcement and conducting an investigation of its own, the airline said.

“Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement. “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 stowaway is a woman between 55 and 60 years old and has a Russian passport, according to an airport official in Paris. She will soon be sent back to the United States, the official said.

The woman was in a waiting zone at Charles de Gaulle airport - known as ZAPI - for people awaiting deportation, as she does not meet the conditions for entering Europe. The woman applied for asylum in France a few years ago, the official said.

When the woman is sent back to the US, the TSA could issue a civil penalty and New York authorities could arrest her, although they are not currently involved, a federal official familiar with the investigation told the media. The TSA is conducting its own investigation of the incident, the official noted.

New York City real estate broker Rob Jackson was on the Delta flight when the stowaway was discovered and told waiting reporters that passengers were told to stay seated after landing so police could board the plane.