A Canadian man used fake airline credentials to fly for free across North America, posing as both a commercial pilot and an active flight attendant for four years, according to federal prosecutors.
Dallas Pokornik, 33, of Toronto, was extradited from Panama this week and pleaded not guilty in a Hawaii courtroom to wire-fraud charges returned by a federal grand jury last October. A U.S. magistrate judge ordered him held without bond.
At a Glance
- Pokornik flew on three major carriers without paying for tickets
- He once asked to occupy the cockpit “jump seat” reserved for off-duty pilots
- The scheme ran from 2019 through 2023
- Why it matters: Unauthorized individuals in restricted areas raise direct safety and security concerns for passengers and crew
From Flight Attendant to Fake Pilot
Court documents show Pokornik worked as a legitimate flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline from 2017 to 2019. After leaving that job, he allegedly kept and doctored his old company identification to book space-available tickets meant for working crew members on other carriers.
Prosecutors say he targeted three U.S. airlines headquartered in:
- Honolulu
- Chicago
- Fort Worth, Texas
While the indictment does not name the carriers, Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines and American Airlines are each based in those respective cities. Representatives for the three companies did not respond to requests for comment from James O Connor Fields.
Cockpit Request Raised Flags
On at least one occasion, Pokornik went beyond the cabin and asked to sit in the cockpit jump seat, a fold-down chair used by off-duty pilots traveling to their next assignment. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Hawaii declined to say whether he actually occupied the seat during flight.
The indictment does not detail how Pokornik’s credentials were ultimately questioned or how the investigation began. Federal defenders representing Pokornik declined to comment after Tuesday’s hearing.
Airline Employment Records Checked
Air Canada, which maintains a major hub in Toronto, said it has no record of an employee named Dallas Pokornik. The Toronto-based airline that employed him from 2017 to 2019 is not identified in court filings.
Hollywood-Style Comparison
Prosecutors noted similarities between Pokornik’s alleged conduct and the film “Catch Me If You Can,” in which Leonardo DiCaprio portrays Frank Abagnale Jr. traveling the world by impersonating a pilot. Abagnale’s real-life exploits in the 1960s involved forging airline credentials and riding in cockpits at a time when security protocols were far less stringent.
The case also surfaces amid heightened scrutiny of cockpit access following a 2023 incident aboard a Horizon Air flight. In that event, off-duty pilot Joseph Emerson, riding in the jump seat, attempted to cut the engines mid-flight before being subdued by the crew. Emerson later told police he was battling depression and was sentenced to time served in November 2023.
Legal Proceedings Ahead
Pokornik faces multiple counts of wire fraud, each carrying a maximum 20-year prison term if convicted. No trial date has been set.
Key Takeaways
- Fake crew ID cards allowed hundreds of free flights across three airlines
- The defendant’s cockpit jump-seat request triggered closer scrutiny
- Extradition from Panama brings the four-year scheme into U.S. jurisdiction
- Airlines have not disclosed whether policy changes will follow
