Tel Aviv — Israel has barred pilots and cabin crew from countries without diplomatic relations with it from serving on flights entering its airspace, following an attempted hijacking last month on a flight from the United Arab Emirates to Israel.
Indian captain Smit Machchhar was injured while successfully neutralizing the security threat during the September 30 flydubai flight. The aircraft, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, was diverted to Saudi Arabia after the Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked Machchhar and attempted to seize control of the plane.
According to reports from Israeli public broadcaster Kan, the Transportation Ministry's Aviation Security Operations Centre issued the updated directives in response to the incident. N12 reported that the ministry formally notified foreign airlines about the new restrictions on October 1.
Under the directive, any pilot or cabin crew member operating flights into Israeli airspace cannot be a national or dual national of a country that lacks official diplomatic relations with Israel. Media reports indicate the restrictions affect nationals from more than two dozen countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, and Tunisia.
The policy change has already impacted international operations. French investigative outlet Mediapart reported that Air France distributed an internal memo warning its pilots and cabin staff about the new rules and potential sanctions for non-compliance. Similarly, aviation blog Live and Let's Fly noted that United Airlines advised affected employees to contact its scheduling department for reassignment.
Following the near-disaster, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a comprehensive review of security procedures governing foreign civilian flights. Captain Machchhar sustained injuries during the struggle but managed to open the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew members to intervene and subdue the co-pilot before the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
Machchhar subsequently received widespread praise for his bravery, earning recognition as a hero from global figures including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu, and US President Donald Trump.