Stowaway Found on Delta Flight from New York Bound for Paris

A woman managed to evade security and stowaway aboard a Delta Air Lines flight from New York JFK bound for Paris on 27 November.

A stowaway was discovered on board the Delta Air Lines scheduled flight from New York to Paris on 27 November. The woman, who had apparently boarded the flight at New York’s JFK International Airport without a boarding pass was discovered mid-flight.

How the woman managed to evade mandatory document on identity checks during the check-in process is unclear. Both Delta Air Lines and authorities are now working to investigate the security incident.

Delta Flight DL264 New York-Paris

Flight track of Delta Air Lines DL264 which carried stowaway from New York to Paris.

Delta flight DL264 had departed New York JFK International Airport on Tuesday night. The scheduled long haul service was bound for Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport.

According to CBS News, a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) source said that the woman had passed through an advanced imaging technology body scanner. She had somehow managed to evade the prior identity checks which are part of the TSA check-in process.

A TSA spokesperson gave further comment. “TSA will independently review the circumstances of this incident at our travel document checker station at JFK.”

According to a source close to the incident, the woman drew the attention of flight attendants after making frequent and lengthy visits to the aircraft lavatories.

Discovery Made Mid-Flight

The stowaway was subsequently discovered approximately six hours into the seven and a half hour long haul transatlantic service. The woman was taken into custody by police following the aircraft’s arrival in Paris.

A Delta Air Lines B767-400 on final approach. — MercerMJ, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Flight Details

Flight data shows that flight DL264 was being operated by a wide-body Boeing 767-400ER, registered N838MH.

The Boeing 767-400ER has a potential seating capacity of around 238 persons. However, it has not been confirmed exactly how many passengers were on board the flight.

Delta Air Lines offered a statement following the incident saying: “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.”