A Toronto man has been charged with wire fraud for allegedly impersonating a commercial pilot to obtain hundreds of free flights on three different airlines over a four-year period. Dallas Pokornik, 33, who previously worked as a flight attendant, is said to have used a fake employee ID to secure access to the cockpit jump seat for these flights, as per court records.
Pokornik was arrested in Panama in January on charges of wire fraud dating back to October 2, 2025. Following his extradition, he pleaded not guilty to the allegations. Court documents reveal that Pokornik exploited his past employment with a Toronto-based airline to fraudulently access pilot and flight attendant tickets on other airlines.
While Air Canada, Porter Airlines, Sunwing, and WestJet were contacted for comments, only Air Canada and WestJet responded, denying any record of Pokornik’s employment. Pokornik faces up to 20 years in prison and a substantial fine if convicted. The three airlines he reportedly flew with are based in Honolulu, Chicago, and Fort Worth, Texas.
In a similar case, a Florida man was recently found guilty of posing as a flight attendant to secure over 120 free flights by exploiting online booking systems designed for airline staff. Tiron Alexander, 35, pretended to be a flight attendant from various airlines to gain unauthorized access to flight benefits.