Air France has restricted pilots and cabin crew from 31 Muslim-majority countries from operating flights to Israel, following a September 30 incident involving a FlyDubai flight. The airline confirmed it is complying with new entry regulations issued by Israeli authorities on October 1.
New Travel Restrictions for Israel-Bound Flights
The policy change follows a security breach on September 30, when a co-pilot on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly attacked the captain in an attempt to crash the aircraft at Ben Gurion Airport. In the aftermath of that event, the Israeli Ministry of Transport and Road Safety issued a directive to foreign airlines on October 1.
According to reports from Israeli media outlet N12, the directive mandates that pilots and cabin crew members holding citizenship or dual citizenship from countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel are prohibited from operating flights into Israeli airspace. Air France confirmed to Al Jazeera that it has notified relevant employees about these new flight service regulations.
Scope of the Airline Policy
The restriction applies to personnel from 31 nations, including Algeria, Tunisia, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Niger. While Air France stated it is obliged to comply with the entry regulations of the respective countries regarding the safety of passengers and crew, the move has triggered debates over potential discrimination based on nationality.
Legal experts suggest that enforcing employment restrictions based on citizenship could conflict with French labor laws.
Responses from Other International Carriers
The directive has reached other international carriers, though the operational impact varies. We have carefully reviewed it and are observing and complying with all applicable conditions issued by the relevant authorities,
said Smartwings spokesperson Vladimira Dufkova. She added that, for now, the airline’s management of crew assignments for Israel-bound flights remains unaffected.
United Airlines has declined to confirm whether it received similar instructions or to comment on its internal procedures regarding the Israel routes.
Status of the FlyDubai Incident Investigation
The security measures are directly linked to the FlyDubai cockpit incident, where the co-pilot, identified by reports as Hamam Al-Hamam, allegedly assaulted the flight captain. The captain, Smite Machar, is currently receiving medical treatment for injuries sustained during the altercation. Authorities in both the United Arab Emirates and Israel have pointed to this event as the primary catalyst for the tightened oversight of flight crews entering Israeli territory.
