The State Department has issued a travel alert amid increased terrorist threats around the world.
Meanwhile, a passenger aboard an international flight that touched down at Orlando International Airport Monday afternoon said she witnessed a major lax in security protocols when she got off the plane.
She said passengers on board a Norwegian flight almost didn’t go through customs.
U.S. Customs said 20 passengers inadvertently began walking to the airport terminal instead of going to customs.
Norwegian Airlines Flight 7055 arrived in Orlando from Copenhagen at about 2 p.m.
One of the passengers, who only wanted to be identified as Barbara, said she travels frequently. She said she noticed something wasn’t right when she got off the plane.
"There was confusion because they hadn’t opened the door to immigration. They had left the door open to the main airline terminal, and so all the passengers were walking out into the airline terminal instead of going through Customs and Immigration," she said.
Barbara said she witnessed the airline’s gate agent call some people back, but others took off.
She said it was very concerning, particularly because of the recent Paris terror attacks.
“Huge concern, which is why I called (WFTV) because it becomes public knowledge that people can walk into Orlando without having to go through immigration,” she said.
Channel 9 reporter Jeff Levkulich sent an email to Norwegian Airlines asking about the incident, but the company never responded.
OIA officials said there was an incident and that all passengers have been accounted for.
U.S. Customers and Border Patrol issued a statement which read, “U.S. Customs and Border Protection identified an infraction involving the processing of a Norwegian Air flight from Copenhagen, Denmark, that arrived at Orlando International Airport today. Approximately 20 passengers inadvertently exited through a door to the domestic gate. CBP officers immediately responded to the incident and ensured all passengers and their luggage were processed through the federal inspection area before leaving the airport. CBP is investigating the incident with the airport authority and the airline and will implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”
Custom agents are investigating the incident with the Airport Authority and the airline, and said they will implement measures to prevent similar occurrences in the future.
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