JetBlue Airways has long been known for its emphasis on customer experience and affordable flights, making it a popular choice for domestic and international travelers alike.
The airline, headquartered in New York, operates hundreds of flights daily, serving destinations across the United States and beyond.
However, incidents involving its aircraft are rare, making recent developments at one of its planes in Florida particularly alarming.
Still Under Investigation
On Monday evening, during a routine post-flight inspection at Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, the bodies of two unidentified individuals were discovered in the landing gear compartment of a JetBlue Airbus.
The plane had just arrived from New York’s JFK Airport, according to Digi24.
JetBlue confirmed the discovery in a statement on Tuesday, saying:
"The identity of the individuals and the circumstances of how they came to be on the aircraft are under investigation."
While no information was provided about whether the aircraft had recently flown outside the United States, the case has raised questions about how the individuals accessed the plane.
This tragic incident is not without precedent.
Stowing away in an aircraft’s landing gear is a desperate and often deadly act. The freezing temperatures and low oxygen levels at cruising altitude make survival nearly impossible.
Just weeks earlier, on December 24, the body of another individual was found in the landing gear of a United Airlines flight from Chicago to Maui, highlighting the risks of such attempts.
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and local authorities are now working to determine the origins of the two individuals and any possible security lapses that might have allowed them to hide in the aircraft.
Migrants fleeing unsafe conditions often resort to such extreme measures, but their journeys frequently end in tragedy.
