In a surprising security breach, a woman managed to board a transatlantic flight from New York to Paris without possessing a boarding pass, as revealed by fresh surveillance video footage. The footage, made available by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, illustrates how Svetlana Dali, a 57-year-old with dual Russian and U.S. residency, successfully bypassed gate agents by blending in with a group of legitimate passengers with tickets. She stealthily moved alongside them and gained entry to the departure gate.
Dali, who faces a stowaway charge after the incident last November, maintains her innocence. With her trial approaching next month, dialogues between her attorney and the prosecution are reportedly underway in pursuit of a potential plea agreement. Attempts to reach her legal representative for comments were unsuccessful.
Court filings illuminate how Dali was initially stopped at a security checkpoint at JFK International Airport when she was unable to present a valid boarding pass. Demonstrating cunning, she then infiltrated a special security lane meant for airline employees by concealing herself amidst a large group of Air Europa crew members. This maneuver granted her access to a screening area where routine security inspections were underway. A second video captured Dali undergoing a routine pat-down at this stage.
Equipped with a gray hoodie, an apparent bag slung over one arm, and an oversized backpack, Dali skillfully slipped past two Delta Air Lines’ staffers while they examined boarding passes, allowing her to access the flight bound for Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris. The oversight on the part of the gate agents meant she went unnoticed as part of the group of ticket-holding passengers.
It was only mid-flight that Delta’s cabin crew discovered her unauthorized presence, promptly alerting French authorities. Upon landing, she was detained before entering customs. Subsequent questioning led to Dali admitting her intention to bypass paying for a ticket, deliberately evading both airport security and airline personnel.
Initially, upon her arrest, Dali was released but with electronic monitoring conditions attached. However, she was recaptured in Buffalo, New York, after breaching her release conditions by cutting off the monitor in an attempt to cross into Canada. Presently, records indicate she is held in federal custody in Brooklyn.