Ex-Flight Attendant’s Pilot Impersonation Scheme Unravels After Nearly Four Years

A Canadian former flight attendant has pleaded guilty to wire fraud for posing as a pilot and securing hundreds of free flights from three major U.S. airlines over a period of nearly four years.

The defendant, 33-year-old Dallas Pokornik from Toronto, previously worked as a flight attendant for a Canadian airline between 2017 and 2019.

After leaving that job, he used a fake employee ID card to impersonate a commercial pilot and current flight attendant to obtain free tickets reserved for airline staff.

Federal prosecutors say the scheme ran from January 2020 to October 2024. During this time, Pokornik defrauded three unnamed U.S. carriers, widely believed to be Hawaiian Airlines, United Airlines, and American Airlines based on the cities where the victims are headquartered.

The scam unravelled in 2024 when an airline ground crew member became suspicious of Pokornik’s fake pilot credentials, took a photo of the identification, and reported it. An investigation confirmed he was not a pilot for any airline.

Pokornik was arrested in Panama and extradited to the United States to face charges. He initially pleaded not guilty in January 2026 but has since changed his plea.

Court documents reveal Pokornik even requested to sit in the cockpit’s “jumpseat,” a privilege typically reserved for off-duty pilots and crew members.

U.S. Attorney Ken Sorenson stated after the guilty plea, “Travel safety protocols help keep citizens and visitors safe, and anyone who violates those protocols will face legal consequences”.

As part of his plea agreement, Pokornik has agreed to pay restitution to the three victim airlines, with the amount to be determined at his sentencing hearing.

He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000. Sentencing is scheduled for December 8, 2026.