Repeat Stowaway Arrested After Sneaking Onto Milan United Flight

A woman previously convicted of sneaking onto an international flight without a ticket has been detained again after allegedly boarding a transatlantic flight from New Jersey to Italy, according to law enforcement sources.

Svetlana Dali reportedly bypassed airline staff at Newark Liberty International Airport and boarded United Airlines Flight 19 to Milan on Wednesday Feb. 25 evening without a valid boarding pass. The flight, operated by a Boeing 777-200ER, departed Newark at 5:51 p.m. ET and landed in Milan at 7:09 a.m. local time Thursday, according to flight tracking data.

Airline crew members discovered during the seven-hour flight that Dali did not have a ticket. Upon arrival in Milan, Italian authorities detained her for further investigation.

United Airlines said in a statement that safety and security are its highest priorities and that it is working with authorities to investigate the incident. The FBI’s Newark field office confirmed it is aware of the alleged stowaway case and is coordinating with the Port Authority and the Transportation Security Administration.

The incident comes less than two years after Dali successfully boarded a Delta Air Lines flight from John F. Kennedy International Airport to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in November 2024 without a ticket. Surveillance footage from that case showed her passing through a crew security checkpoint and blending in with other passengers at the departure gate before boarding the aircraft. She was discovered during the flight and detained upon arrival in France.

After being returned to the United States, Dali faced federal charges and was later convicted of illegally boarding the Paris flight. She was sentenced to time served after spending more than seven months in custody. Prosecutors have previously said she attempted to board other flights without proper documentation and was once found in a restricted area at Miami International Airport.

In December 2024, while awaiting trial, she reportedly removed an electronic ankle monitor and attempted to travel toward Canada before being arrested again.

Authorities have not yet detailed how Dali allegedly bypassed security and gate procedures at Newark in the latest incident. The case is expected to raise renewed scrutiny over airport screening protocols and boarding controls at major U.S. international gateways.

The investigation remains ongoing.

Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, yahoo.com