Flight attendant who posed as pilot and flew free hundreds of times exposed after 5 years

A former flight attendant, Dallas Pokornik, 33, pleaded guilty to defrauding three major US airlines after posing as a pilot for nearly five years and flying free hundreds of times. He exploited the employee flight mechanism, was exposed in 2024, arrested in Panama, and extradited. He faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

A former flight attendant, Dallas Pokornik, 33, pleaded guilty in a US federal court to wire fraud, after posing as a pilot for nearly five years, using a fake ID badge, and receiving hundreds of free flights. He exploited the discounted or free flight mechanism for airline employees, known as 'Non-Rev'. According to court documents, Pokornik worked as a flight attendant for an airline based in Toronto until 2019, and after leaving, he used the knowledge he gained to continue flying free. He presented himself as a pilot and requested seats, even asking to use the 'Jumpseat' in the cockpit. The three airlines he defrauded were not named, but the locations of their headquarters (Honolulu, Chicago, and Fort Worth) suggest Hawaiian, United, and American Airlines. The fraud was exposed in 2024 after an employee suspected a fake badge and reported it. Pokornik was located in Panama and extradited to the US. He admitted the fraud lasted from January 2020 to October 2024. Federal prosecutor Ken Sorenson said that those who violate aviation security protocols will be prosecuted. Pokornik faces up to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000, with sentencing set for December 8, 2026. He has agreed to compensate the airlines.