US authorities accuse a Canadian man of posing as airline staff to fly for free hundreds of times on US airlines
Jim Young/REUTERS
- A Canadian man identified as Dallas Pokornik was charged with impersonating airline staff.
- Federal prosecutors allege Pokornik used fake airline IDs to fly hundreds of times for free.
- Pokornik was extradited from Panama to Hawaii and faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted.
Federal prosecutors charged a man with wire fraud, alleging a "Catch Me if You Can"-reminiscent scheme.
US Attorney Ken Sorenson said in a Tuesday press release that a Canadian man was charged over allegations that he pretended to be a pilot and a flight attendant to get hundreds of free trips.
According to court documents, 33-year-old Dallas Pokornik from Toronto was arrested in Panama earlier this month and extradited to the US.
He pleaded not guilty Tuesday after being arraigned in federal court in Hawaii, where he was indicted last October on wire fraud charges. A magistrate judge ordered him to remain in custody.
Pokornik's public defender did not respond to a request for comment.
The indictment filed at the District Court of Hawaii alleged that Pokornik worked as a flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline from 2017 to 2019. After leaving the job, prosecutors alleged he used fake employee identification from that carrier to obtain tickets reserved for pilots and flight attendants on three other airlines.
The indictment also alleged Pokornik "used and presented a false and fictitious identification" as a current pilot or flight attendant to claim travel benefits typically offered to airline staff when seats are available.
Prosecutors alleged in the complaint that the airline companies are based in Honolulu, Chicago, and Fort Worth, Texas, but did not name them. They also did not name the Toronto-based airline they alleged he worked for.
Representatives for Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Prosecutors also said Pokornik at times requested access to the cockpit "jump seat," which is generally reserved for off-duty pilots, trainees, or inspectors. Court filings do not indicate whether any of those requests were granted, and the US Attorney's Office did not comment.
The indictment includes two counts of wire fraud tied to tickets issued in Hawaii in 2024. If convicted, Pokornik could face up to 20 years in prison, fines of up to $250,000, and supervised release.