Former Flight Attendant Accused of Posing as Pilot to Get Hundreds of Free Flights
US prosecutors have revealed that a former Canadian flight attendant stands accused of fraudulently obtaining hundreds of free flights from American airlines by posing as both a commercial pilot and a serving cabin crew member. The elaborate scheme, which allegedly lasted for four years, has drawn comparisons to Hollywood depictions of aviation fraud.
The Allegations and Arrest
Dallas Pokornik, a 33-year-old from Toronto, was apprehended in Panama following his indictment on wire fraud charges in a Hawaiian federal court last October. He entered a plea of not guilty on Tuesday, subsequent to his extradition back to the United States. According to court documents, Mr Pokornik worked as a flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline between 2017 and 2019 before allegedly using counterfeit employee identification from that company to secure tickets typically reserved for airline staff on three different carriers.
Prosecutors stated that Pokornik even requested to sit in the cockpit jump seat, which is typically reserved for off-duty pilots. While court documents did not clarify whether he ever actually rode in a plane's cockpit, the request itself demonstrates the boldness of the alleged scheme. The U.S. Attorney's Office declined to provide further details on this specific aspect of the case.
Airlines Involved and Legal Proceedings
The indictment did not explicitly name the airlines involved, but indicated they are based in Honolulu, Chicago and Fort Worth, Texas. Representatives for Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines, which are respectively based in those cities, did not immediately respond to emails from The Associated Press seeking comment. Air Canada, which is based in Toronto, also did not respond to an email seeking comment about the allegations involving their former employee.
A U.S. magistrate judge on Tuesday ordered Pokornik to remain in custody pending further legal proceedings. His federal defender declined to comment on the case or the allegations against his client. The scheme's duration of four years suggests a sustained pattern of alleged deception that went undetected for a significant period.
Aviation Security Context and Historical Parallels
The allegations against Pokornik come at a time of heightened awareness about aviation security protocols. In 2023, an off-duty airline pilot riding in the cockpit of a Horizon Air flight said "I'm not OK" just before trying to cut the engines midflight. That pilot, Joseph Emerson, later told police he had been struggling with depression and was sentenced to time served last November by a federal judge.
The case against Pokornik bears striking resemblance to the plot of "Catch Me If You Can," the popular movie starring Leonardo DiCaprio that tells the story of Frank Abagnale posing as a pilot to defraud an airline and obtain free flights. This real-world parallel highlights ongoing vulnerabilities in airline employee verification systems and the potential for exploitation of staff travel privileges.
The investigation continues as authorities examine how Pokornik allegedly managed to maintain his deception across multiple airlines over several years, raising questions about internal security checks and verification processes within the aviation industry.
