The stowaway who slipped onto a flight from JFK Airport to Paris blended in with one other aircraft’s flight crew to get entry to the worldwide Delta flight, in line with federal authorities.
Svetlana Dali, 57, first tried to bluff her well beyond a Transportation Safety Administration checkpoint at JFK Terminal 4 on Nov. 26 — the Tuesday earlier than Thanksgiving, and one of many heaviest journey days of the yr — however was turned away when she couldn’t current a boarding move, in line with a felony grievance.
Undeterred, Dali received right into a particular line for airline staff, mixing in with a big Air Europa flight crew, the grievance alleges.
She used that cowl to get again into line, and was screened by TSA alongside passengers with tickets, the feds allege.
A Delta Air Traces Boeing 767 passenger plane arrives at JFK Worldwide Airport in New York on February 7, 2024. (Photograph by CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
From there, she walked to gate B38, and boarded Delta Flight 264 whereas the airline’s brokers had been distracted serving to different passengers, the feds say.
Delta staff notified French regulation enforcement, who met the aircraft at Charles de Gaulle Airport, in line with the grievance.
Delta planes are seen at Terminal 4 at JFK Airport in New York on December 22, 2020. (Photograph by KENA BETANCUR/AFP by way of Getty Photos)
Dali admitted to authorities that she stowed away and seemed for alternatives to elude TSA officers and Delta brokers when she knew they’d ask for her move.
As soon as below arrest in Paris, Dali requested for asylum, however was denied on Thanksgiving Day. Dali, who holds a Russian passport, requested asylum in France just a few years earlier however was denied, Paris officers informed CNN.
She was speculated to return again to the U.S. on Nov. 30 after being taken into custody in France, CNN reported, however she grew to become unruly and began screaming, inflicting her return journey to be rescheduled.
Dali faces a federal stowaway cost. She’s slated to be arraigned in Brooklyn Federal Courtroom Thursday afternoon.
Initially Revealed: December 5, 2024 at 2:45 PM EST
