Toronto man posed as pilot to rack up hundreds of free flights, prosecutors say
 

A man from Toronto is accused of pretending to be an airline pilot and employee to get hundreds of free flights. Prosecutors say Dallas Pokornik, 33, tricked three major U.S. airlines over four years. Airlines sometimes give free standby tickets to their own workers or workers from other airlines so employees can travel easily.

According to court documents, Pokornik worked as a flight attendant for a Toronto-based airline from 2017 to 2019. After leaving the job, he allegedly continued using an old employee ID to request free tickets, even though he knew he was no longer eligible. On one occasion, he reportedly asked to sit in the cockpit jumpseat, which is only for trained pilots, even though he was not a pilot.

Pokornik was charged with wire fraud, arrested in Panama, and sent to the United States to face trial. If found guilty, he could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison and fined up to $250,000. Authorities are still investigating how he managed to deceive airlines for so long

Source : https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/jan/22/canada-pilot-airline-tickets

Comprehension

What did Dallas Pokornik pretend to be in order to get free flights?
How long did prosecutors say the fraud lasted?
What job did Pokornik really have in the past?
Why are cockpit jumpseats restricted to pilots?
What punishment could Pokornik face if convicted?

Discussion

Why do airlines offer free or standby tickets to employees?
Is pretending to have a job the same as stealing? Why or why not?
How could airlines improve security to prevent this kind of fraud?
Why is safety especially important in aviation?
Do you think the punishment is fair? Why or why not?
How might this case affect public trust in airlines?
Why do stories like this remind people of movies such as Catch Me If You Can?
What ethical responsibilities do employees have after leaving a job?

Vocabulary

Pose as – To pretend to be someone else
Fraud – Dishonest behavior to gain money or benefits
Standby ticket – A ticket used when seats are available at the last minute
Cockpit – The area of an airplane where pilots control the aircraft
Convicted – Found guilty of a crime in court