Amid the busy holiday travel season, an unticketed passenger attempted to stow away on a Delta Air Lines flight from Seattle to Honolulu on Christmas Eve, resulting in delays and heightened security procedures.
The individual, whose identity has not been disclosed, was discovered onboard Delta flight 487 as the plane was taxiing for departure from Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. In accordance with protocol, the aircraft returned to the gate, and law enforcement apprehended the passenger, Delta said in a statement.
As a precaution, all passengers were deplaned and required to undergo rescreening at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) checkpoint before reboarding. The flight eventually departed for Honolulu after a 2-hour and 15-minute delay, the airline confirmed.
“There are no matters more important than safety and security,” a Delta spokesperson said, thanking passengers for their patience and cooperation during the incident.
The Port of Seattle, which oversees the airport, reported that the stowaway had successfully passed through a TSA security checkpoint the night before the flight, despite not having a boarding pass. Although the individual was screened without prohibited items, they gained access to the boarding bridge without a ticket.
Port of Seattle Police responded to a “suspicious circumstance” report shortly after 1 p.m. on Tuesday. By the time officers arrived, the individual had exited the aircraft. Using video surveillance, authorities located the suspect in a terminal restroom, where they were arrested for criminal trespass.
The TSA stated that the individual had been screened according to standard procedures, reiterating its commitment to investigating the incident thoroughly. “The agency takes all incidents at checkpoints nationwide seriously and will conduct an independent review,” a TSA spokesperson said.
This episode follows another stowaway case on a Delta flight less than a month earlier. During Thanksgiving week, Svetlana Dali, a Russian woman with U.S. residency, bypassed security at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and boarded a Delta flight to Paris without a ticket. Dali was arrested upon arrival in Paris and subsequently returned to the United States.
