Shocking Footage: How Russian JFK Stowaway Svetlana Dali Breezed Past TSA & Gate Agents

A 57-year-old Russian woman, Svetlana Dali, is facing trial after she secretly boarded a flight from New York’s JFK Airport to Paris last year.

The shocking security breach happened on November 26, 2024, and new surveillance footage shows how she managed to slip through multiple airport checkpoints undetected.

Dali, a U.S. green card holder, was seen on video moving past airport security at JFK during the busy Thanksgiving travel period. According to footage obtained by the Associated Press, she was initially turned away at one checkpoint because she didn’t have a boarding pass. But she used the chaos of the holiday rush to sneak through a security lane meant for airport employees.

At another checkpoint, a TSA agent gave her a quick body pat-down before letting her pass through to the terminal. She carried her bags to the Delta Airlines gate, where she waited among a group of five travelers. The gate agents, distracted while checking in passengers, failed to notice as Dali slipped past and walked directly onto the plane.

She boarded Delta Flight 264, bound for Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, and hid in one of the aircraft’s lavatories during takeoff.

Dali remained hidden for most of the seven-hour flight. She was finally discovered by a flight attendant toward the end of the trip. Crew members restrained her in a seat, and French authorities detained her upon landing.

Her troubles didn’t end there. Dali was removed from two separate return flights to the U.S. — once for causing a disruption and again after the airline banned her from boarding. Eventually, she was extradited back to New York.

In January 2025, a federal grand jury indicted her on one count of being a stowaway on an aircraft. She pleaded not guilty.

After her arrest, a judge released her under strict conditions. She was ordered to stay with a friend in Philadelphia and wear an ankle monitor. But just 10 days later, Dali removed the GPS tracker and attempted to flee the country on a Greyhound bus heading to Canada.

At the border near Buffalo, she was caught by officers after failing to provide a passport. Authorities discovered an active warrant for her arrest, as she had violated her release terms.

Following her arrest at the border, Dali was ordered to remain in custody at a Brooklyn federal detention center. Her trial is scheduled for May, but lawyers are said to be discussing a possible plea deal before the court date.

This case raises serious questions about airport security, especially during high-travel holidays like Thanksgiving.