Jacket sparks airport security alert

A passenger attempting to board a flight from Paris to the United States sparked a security alert today when wires were spotted in her jacket.

Security officials at Charles de Gaulle airport prevented the woman from flying but only informed the US authorities after the aircraft had taken off.

Delta flight 043 was accompanied part of the way to Cincinnati, Ohio, by fighter jets, according to security sources quoted by US media.

But the escort has withdrawn by the time the aircraft touched down.

Despite the alert it was quickly established that the woman posed no threat and was allowed to board a later flight.

It is believed she was wearing a specially heated jacket, explaining the presence of wires.

A spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration said officials had received “specific intelligence” which sparked concerns about the flight.

She said all passengers on board were re-screened after the aircraft touched down at around 8.50pm Irish time.

The screening took place away from the main terminal building.

Delta said the Boeing 767 had 181 passengers and 12 crew members on board.

The incident demonstrates the current level of security concerns surrounding international air travel.

In recent days British Airways flight BA223 from London to Washington has been repeatedly delayed or cancelled amid concerns that it was a terrorist target.

An Aeromexico flight from Mexico City to Los Angeles was also cancelled for two days running last week.

Over Christmas six commercial Air France flights, between Paris and Los Angeles, were cancelled.

The office of the French prime minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin said the flights were cancelled after what US authorities described as “very credible” information that two or three people, possibly Tunisians, were planning to board the flights.