Kim Kardashian, Kanye West bypass JFK security - DC Breaking Local News Weather Sports FOX 5 WTTG

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.