Adrian
A newly released video obtained by the Associated Press through a records request with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey sheds light on how Russian national Svetlana Dali allegedly managed to board a New York to Paris flight without a boarding pass in late 2023. The footage, provided on Wednesday, shows Dali navigating security and gate checks at John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) before successfully boarding the aircraft.
The video captures Dali wearing a brown sweater as she undergoes screening by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) agents. Moments later, she is seen donning a gray hoodie under a black jacket, carrying a large backpack, and blending in with a group of passengers to bypass two gate agents checking boarding passes. The staffers appeared unaware of her presence as she joined ticketed passengers on the airbridge.
According to court documents obtained by the Associated Press, Dali was initially denied entry at a JFK security checkpoint after failing to present a boarding pass. She allegedly then entered a special security lane designated for airline employees, concealed by a large Air Europa flight crew, and proceeded to a screening area where agents were inspecting bags and conducting pat-downs.
Delta Air Lines crew members identified Dali as an unauthorized passenger mid-flight and notified French authorities, who detained her upon arrival in Paris before she could enter customs. She was subsequently returned to New York, where she admitted to authorities that she had intentionally evaded security and Delta employees to avoid purchasing a ticket.
Dali, 57, a legal U.S. resident, was initially released with electronic monitoring following her arrest. However, she was apprehended again in Buffalo, New York, after cutting off the monitor and attempting to cross into Canada. She is currently held in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn.
Dali has pleaded not guilty to a stowaway charge related to the November 2023 incident. Her trial is scheduled to begin next month, though prosecutors and her attorney are reportedly working toward a plea agreement.
This report includes contributions from Fox News Digital’s Christina Shaw and Chris Pandolfo, as well as The Associated Press.
**Sources:**
[Associated Press](https://apnews.com)
[Fox News Digital](https://www.foxnews.com)
