Svetlana Dali, a Russian national and U.S. permanent resident, was charged with stowing away on a Delta flight from New York to Paris. She was released from custody on several conditions, including GPS monitoring, a curfew, and restrictions on her travel and access to airports. If convicted, she could face up to five years in prison.
Dali was detained after sneaking onto the flight without a ticket, evading TSA security, and boarding the plane undetected. Once on the flight, she hid in the restroom to avoid detection. The flight crew didn’t realize there was a stowaway until after landing in Paris, where Dali was detained by French police and returned to the U.S.
Dali has had prior legal issues, including filing lawsuits claiming she was a victim of chemical weapons attacks and kidnapping. She has also applied for asylum in France. Investigators found that she bypassed airport security and boarded by blending in with a family at the gate.
Delta Airlines has reviewed its security procedures following the breach, calling it a deviation from standard protocols.
The TSA is preparing a civil case against Dali, while aviation experts stress that the incident highlights significant security vulnerabilities.
