A stowaway who somehow boarded a flight in New York and made it to Paris was removed from her flight back to the US this weekend.
Last Tuesday, a woman was caught onboard a Delta Airlines flight without a ticket, after she bypassed two identity checks in New York plus a full security screening.
She was removed from the plane when it landed in Paris and placed in a holding zone until her flight back on Saturday, when she “created a disturbance”.
Sky News’ US partner network NBC News reports she was taken off the plane before departure and held in custody – and it’s not clear when she will be flown back.
According to CNN, which spoke to a witness across the aisle, she kept saying “I do not want to go back to the USA” and “only a judge can make me go back to the USA”.
The network added footage from inside the plane shows the woman saying: “Please help me! I don’t want to go to United States.”
Delta confirmed Flight 265 from Paris to New York was delayed on Saturday due to an unruly passenger.
The woman, who has a valid US residence permit, went through two “identity verification and boarding status stations”, the Transportation Security Administration said.
She also completed a full security screening at John F. Kennedy International Airport, meaning she was not carrying any prohibited items and did not pose a security threat.
A spokesperson for France’s border police said a Russian passenger who stowed away was refused entry to the country for not holding a valid travel document or visa.
Delta has said it will investigate.
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“Nothing is of greater importance than matters of safety and security,” the airline 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.”
