A stowaway on a Delta flight to Honolulu was arrested on Tuesday, Christmas Eve.
According to the airline, Delta Flight 487 scheduled to fly out of Seattle-Tacoma International Airport for Honolulu on December 24, was stopped when the plane was taxiing on the runway. The reason: a passenger without a ticket was discovered.
The plane was made to return to the gate, where the stowaway was arrested. In a statement, Delta said, “As there are no matters more important than safety and security, Delta people followed procedures to have an unticketed passenger removed from the flight and then apprehended.”
The Stowaway Bypassed the Identity Verification and Boarding Status Stations
The airline added, “We apologize to our customers for the delay in their travels and thank them for their patience and cooperation.”
The Port of Seattle Police Department discovered that the passenger without a ticket had entered the airport on December 23. According to the Transportation Security Administration (TSA), the stowaway somehow “bypassed the identity verification and boarding status stations.” However, the TSA also said that the unidentified passenger cleared all standard screening procedures and wasn’t carrying any prohibited items.
After passing through TSA security, the Port of Seattle officials said that the stowaway “also gained access to the loading bridge without a scanned ticket at the gate.”
The incident is still under investigation according to the agency.
Delta also released a statement regarding the incident. The airline said, “the unticketed passenger boarded the flight at the gate without presenting a boarding pass.”
After the plane returned to the gate, the passenger exited the plane and was later found in an airport terminal restroom. The stowaway was later arrested for criminal trespass. The passenger was later booked into the South Correctional Entity jail in Des Moines, Washington.
The flight was delayed for more than two hours. And after the incident, TSA staff conducted additional security checks. Additionally, the Port of Seattle Police also swept the plane and terminal with K9 dogs.
