International
oi-PTI
Pakistani pilots and cabin crew are barred from serving on flights entering Israeli airspace under new restrictions, according to media reports, after a hijacking attempt last month on a flight travelling from the UAE to Israel, in which Indian Captain Smit Machchhar was injured while foiling the suspected plot.
Israel’s public broadcaster Kan reported that the Transportation Ministry’s Aviation Security Operations Centre has issued the new and updated directives following the hijacking attempt. According to Israeli broadcaster N12, the ministry had informed foreign airlines about the restrictions on October 1.
Following a September 30 hijacking attempt foiled by Indian Captain Smit Machchhar, Israel now bars pilots and crew from nations lacking diplomatic ties from flying into its airspace, affecting airlines like Air France and United.
The restrictions followed the hijacking incident on September 30, when a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv was diverted to Saudi Arabia after its Omani co-pilot attacked Captain Machchhar and attempted to seize control of the aircraft and crash the plane into Israel’s Ben-Gurion Airport.
According to the new directive, pilots and cabin crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality, or dual nationality, of countries that lack official diplomatic relations with Israel. The restrictions cover nationals of more than two dozen countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria and Tunisia, as well as people holding dual nationality of these countries, the Haaretz newspaper reported.
The restrictions have prompted Air France to adjust crew assignments, while United Airlines has also notified employees of the policy, according to French investigative website Mediapart and aviation blog Live and Let’s Fly. Mediapart reported that Air France had circulated an internal memo informing its pilots and cabin crew about the restrictions and warning of possible sanctions for non-compliance.
Live and Let’s Fly reported that United Airlines had asked pilots and flight attendants affected by the policy to contact its scheduling department for necessary adjustments. The airline had changed its crew assignments in response to the restrictions, according to Haaretz. Following the attempted hijacking incident, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a review of security procedures for foreign civil aviation, it said.
Indian pilot Machchhar, who was injured in the September 30 hijacking incident, has been recovering in a hospital in the UAE. Despite his injuries, he managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew members to intervene and subdue the Omani co-pilot before the aircraft was diverted to Saudi Arabia. Machchhar was hailed as a “hero” by world leaders, including Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, his Israeli counterpart Benjamin Netanyahu and US President Donald Trump.
