Kim Kardashian and Kanye West flew into John F. Kennedy International Airport from Brazil on Tuesday, February 12, 2013, cleared customs, and then boarded a connecting flight to Los Angeles without going through security, authorities confirm.
The Transportation Security Administration said that an American Airlines employee escorted two "celebrity passengers" through a "non-public area in order to provide expedited access to their domestic flight."
Officers learned of the security bypass and brought Kim and Kanye to the jetway to perform the security screening, the TSA said.
The airline employee "violated security protocols by permitting the travelers to by-pass the TSA security checkpoint," the agency said.
American Airlines confirmed that an employee escorted the couple to their connecting flight.
"This was a lapse in judgment by one of our employees. We're working closely with the TSA and speaking to the individuals involved to better understand what happened," American Airlines said in a statement.
The flight left an hour late. American Airlines said the delay was only partly due to the incident with Kim and Kanye.
"A number of connecting bags were late arriving to the aircraft," the airline's statement said.
Sunday, May 19 2013 12:13 AM EDT2013-05-19 04:13:53 GMT
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
The NYPD says a 14-year-old girl was shot and killed on a Queens MTA bus Saturday night. The incident happened around 8:50 p.m. on board the Q-6 bus on Sutphin Avenue and Rockaway Boulevard
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:47 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:47:54 GMT
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
The MTA and Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced that the A train subway will run its route all the way to the Rockaways starting May 30, seven months after Superstorm Sandy washed away the track support bed.
Thursday, May 16 2013 6:06 PM EDT2013-05-16 22:06:34 GMT
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
A smuggling ring that made a fortune selling more than a million cartons of untaxed cigarettes in New York may have funneled some of the illicit proceeds to terrorist groups, authorities said.
Thursday, May 16 2013 1:17 PM EDT2013-05-16 17:17:42 GMT
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City.
Several New York lawmakers are sounding the alarm about security and safety lapses at day care centers across New York City. In a report released Thursday, dozens of daycares cited by the Dept. of Health for serious and critical health code violations since 2010, have not fixed the problems and continue to operate without penalty.
Wednesday, May 15 2013 11:08 PM EDT2013-05-16 03:08:35 GMT
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
A judge in Manhattan put the brakes on the so-called Taxi of Tomorrow because the Nissan-built minivan does not come in a hybrid version -- a violation of the city code.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 9:54 PM EDT2013-05-15 01:54:43 GMT
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
The FDNY must subject itself to court supervision for five years to ensure it does not discriminate against blacks and Hispanics in its hiring practices, a federal appeals court said.
Tuesday, May 14 2013 3:59 PM EDT2013-05-14 19:59:22 GMT
USDA photo
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island.
The tree-killing Asian longhorned beetle has been eradicated from Manhattan and Staten Island, but remains a problem in Brooklyn, Queens, and parts of Long Island, according to state agriculture officials.