Passenger says man sneaked onto Delta flight in security breach at Atlanta’s airport

CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — Passengers said a Delta pilot told them he had to return to the gate because a passenger had managed to sneak onto the plane without a ticket.

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Channel 2′s Tom Jones was at Atlanta’s Hartsfield Jackson International Airport Monday, where he talked to a person who was on the plane about the major security breach.

The passenger, who didn’t want to be identified, said the plane was preparing to take off when police and TSA agents came on board and removed the man.

“I was like, ‘Oh Lord, I hope there’s not a bomb on the plane,” he said.

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When the aircraft got back to the gate, security quickly arrived and removed a man from the back of the plane.

Travelers Jones talked to said the incident had to be scary for the other passengers.

“I would be terrified almost,” Adriane Burbridge said. “You don’t know what that person’s goal is.”

The passenger Jones talked to said the pilot announced everyone would have to get off the plane so it could be taken to a secure area to have it undergo a security sweep. Crews eventually determined that was not necessary and the plane took off.

A Delta Air Lines spokesperson told Jones that the airline is not commenting on the incident.

The passenger wondered how someone could get past the gate and sneak on board.

“I was concerned,” the passenger said. “I was also concerned about the fact that, if he could sneak on a plane like that, what else could be snuck on a plane that could cause harm to passengers?”

Delta said it was not commenting, but is cooperating with ongoing investigations and it apologized to customers for the brief delay.

Atlanta police said records show no one was arrested. The TSA said it had no record of the incident.

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