Cathay flight from Japan delayed after woman gets on board without permission

Cathay Pacific confirmed on Sunday that a flight from Japan to Hong Kong had been delayed last week after a woman who did not have a valid boarding pass and passport managed to board the plane.

The flight giant said the incident happened on the CX521 flight, which was scheduled to arrive in Hong Kong from Narita International Airport last Thursday (Dec 28).

The cabin crew found a female passenger constantly switching seats and could not show her passport and boarding pass. The crew reported to the authorities and requested police assistance.

The local police took the woman off the aircraft and detained her for investigation. 

The captain ordered all passengers to exit the cabin for a thorough security check. The flight eventually arrived in Hong Kong over an hour late.

The airline expressed its apology for the inconvenience caused and emphasized that the safety of passengers and crew is the company's top priority.