In brief
A stowaway passenger who gained notoriety for sneaking onto a Delta Air Lines flight from New York to Paris earlier this week stirred trouble on a returning flight from Paris, leading to significant delays and a removal by authorities.
On Saturday, the passenger, who had stowed away on Flight 264 to Paris, caused Flight 265 to John F. Kennedy International Airport to leave Charles de Gaulle Airport over two hours later than scheduled, as indicated by FlightAware tracking data. Morgan Durrant, a Delta representative, confirmed that a "ruly customer" delayed the flight's departure. French authorities subsequently removed the individual from the plane.The troubles began when the passenger violated security protocols, evading two identity verification checkpoints before boarding Flight 264. According to a U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) representative, the passenger repeatedly moved between restrooms rather than occupying an assigned seat during the flight. Upon landing in Paris, police were summoned to address the situation.The incident gained further attention when reports revealed what transpired on Saturday; with media outlets like CBS News originally covering the event. Inquiries directed at the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey regarding the Saturday flight were redirected to the TSA and Delta, both of which declined to provide comments on the situation, instead referring questions to the authorities in Paris. As of now, there has been no feedback from Charles de Gaulle airport officials regarding the incidents.This unusual set of events has highlighted potential security lapses and the need for enhanced measures to ensure passenger safety in the aviation industry. Hank Sanders is a Times reporter and a member of the 2024-25 Times Fellowship class, a program for journalists early in their careers. More about Hank Sanders can be found in the Times archives.
