Passengers on international flight skip customs at JFK
Monday, 24 Nov, 2015
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Airline and security agents allowed passengers arriving from Cancun, Mexico to exit New York JFK airport without any passport or customs checks, a New York Daily News report claims.
According to a person familiar with the incident passengers from American Airlines Flight 1671 ‘just followed’ a gate agent to the domestic terminal.
"Some passengers on Flight 1671 did not complete immigration and customs process upon arrival when they were inadvertently directed to the domestic terminal," American Airlines said in a statement.
After the snafu was discovered, Customs and Border Protection officials later contacted all foreign nationals to return to JFK for immigration checks, with one passenger claiming harassment.
"They’re coming from high-up people at American Airlines, Transportation Security Administration and customs . . . . They’re very aggressive," the traveler told the NY Daily News.
"They’re telling me that I am here illegally, that I’m trespassing. They said, ‘If you don’t come in Monday, we’re sending FBI agents to your house.’ "
A spokesman for the U.S. Customs and Border Protection said it is ‘aware of and looking into the incident and is working with our counterparts to resolve it.’
The incident happened just two days after Islamic militants ISIS threatened an attack on New York.
TravelMole Editorial Team
Editor for TravelMole North America and Asia pacific regions. Ray is a highly experienced (15+ years) skilled journalist and editor predominantly in travel, hospitality and lifestyle working with a huge number of major market-leading brands. He has also cover in-depth news, interviews and features in general business, finance, tech and geopolitical issues for a select few major news outlets and publishers.
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