Overview
- United Airlines flight UA19 from Newark to Milan departed on February 26, and crew members detected an extra passenger over the Atlantic before alerting authorities on the ground.
- The passenger, identified as Russian national Svetlana Dali who resides in the United States, lacked a passport and ticket and was detained upon arrival at Malpensa.
- Initial reports indicate she slipped past security and gate checks, possibly by following a boarding traveler, then hid in a lavatory and gave a false name to crew members.
- United said passenger safety is its top priority and confirmed an internal investigation with full cooperation with relevant authorities.
- Italian border police opened an inquiry into multiple security failures; Dali was previously convicted in 2024 for a similar JFK–Paris stowaway case, with additional incidents reported in Connecticut and Miami.