On Tuesday, taking advantage of the enormous chaos that affected all US airports in the run-up to the Thanksgiving weekend, a woman managed to board a Delta New York-Paris flight, evading security checks.
According to initial reports, the protagonist of this absurd affair had no boarding pass. This did not stop her from getting through all the various checkpoints without being noticed or showing her documents. When she boarded the plane departing from JFK International Airport, she was locked in the bathroom for several hours during the trip.
“Nothing is more important than security issues. That is why we are conducting a thorough investigation into what may have happened and will work collaboratively with other aviation stakeholders and law enforcement to that end,” a Delta spokesperson said in a statement.
According to an official at the Paris hub, the woman in question is believed to be between 55 and 60 years old and has a Russian passport. She will soon be “sent back” to the US. The mysterious traveler is at the ZAPI zone of Charles de Gaulle Airport, “reserved” for people awaiting deportation, as she does not meet the conditions to enter Europe. Several years ago, she had already applied for asylum in France. Once she is returned to the States, where she has resided legally, having a green card, the Transportation Security Administration could issue a civil penalty against her, and New York authorities could also arrest her.
One of the people on the flight bound for the French capital said that, upon arrival, passengers were asked to remain seated to facilitate the entry of local police. Fortunately, although she managed to evade the various controls, it was determined that the woman was not carrying any object dangerous to the safety of the other people on board.
