Serial Stowaway Sneaks Onto United Flight to Milan

Woman with history of evading airport security boards international flight without credentials

Feb. 27, 2026 at 1:04am

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A 57-year-old Russian national with a history of stowing away on flights has done it again, this time sneaking through security at Newark airport and boarding a United Airlines flight from Newark to Milan without a boarding pass or proper identification. Flight attendants caught her inflight, and she was taken into custody upon arrival in Milan.

Why it matters

This incident highlights ongoing security vulnerabilities at airports, even after the woman's previous attempts at stowing away on flights. It raises concerns about the effectiveness of airport security screening procedures and the ability of determined individuals to bypass them, potentially posing risks to passenger safety and airline operations.

The details

The woman, identified as Svetlana Dali, had previously stowed away on a Delta flight from JFK to Paris in 2024, spending hours undetected moving between airplane lavatories. In this latest incident, she managed to get through security at Hartford, Connecticut airport and board the United flight from Newark to Milan without showing any credentials. Flight attendants discovered her onboard the flight, and she was taken into custody by authorities upon arrival in Milan.

  • On Wednesday night, Dali boarded the United flight from Newark to Milan.
  • She was discovered by flight attendants during the flight and taken into custody on Thursday morning upon arrival in Milan.

The players

Svetlana Dali

A 57-year-old Russian national with a history of stowing away on flights, including a previous incident on a Delta flight from JFK to Paris in 2024.

United Airlines

The airline operating the flight from Newark to Milan on which Dali stowed away.

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What’s next

Authorities in Milan are expected to further investigate the incident and determine any potential charges against Dali for her unauthorized boarding of the United flight.

The takeaway

This case highlights the ongoing challenges airports and airlines face in preventing determined individuals from breaching security and stowing away on flights, despite the various security measures in place. It underscores the need for continued vigilance and improvements to airport security protocols to address such vulnerabilities.