Air France Bars Pakistani Crew from Israel Flights as Enforcement of Restrictions Tightens

Air France has barred Pakistani pilots and cabin crew members from operating flights to and from Israel as Israeli authorities tighten enforcement of restrictions on airline personnel holding citizenship of countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. According to media reports, US-based United Airlines and Czech carrier Smartwings have also taken steps to comply with the requirements.

The stricter enforcement comes in the aftermath of an alleged cockpit attack aboard a flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026. The Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, allegedly attacked Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchar in an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. The allegations have not been independently verified in the report.

Oman is among the countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, placing its nationals within the category of people covered by the restrictions. The requirements have prompted international airlines to exercise greater caution when assigning crew members to flights serving Israel.

French investigative outlet Mediapart and aviation intelligence company ch-aviation reported on October 13 that Air France and United Airlines had informed their pilots and cabin crew about the requirements.

Air France has confirmed that it is complying with the Israeli rules. United Airlines has incorporated the restrictions into its crew-planning procedures to ensure that employees covered by the requirements are not assigned to affected routes.

Ethiopian Airlines flight ordered to return

The stricter enforcement became evident on Tuesday when Israeli authorities ordered an Ethiopian Airlines flight to return after discovering that an Indonesian pilot was on board.

According to The Jerusalem Post, the aircraft had been airborne for about an hour and was still within Ethiopian airspace when the order was issued. It was subsequently directed to return to Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital, so that the pilot could be replaced.

Following the crew change, the aircraft departed again for Israel and eventually landed in Tel Aviv, allowing the journey to be completed with a replacement pilot.

Indonesia, a Muslim-majority country, does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel. Its nationals are among those covered by the restrictions on foreign airline personnel operating flights to and from Israel.

Ethiopian Airlines described the episode as a mistake, stating that it had not been aware that the pilot in question was prohibited from operating flights to Israel.

Restrictions cover 31 Muslim-majority countries

According to reports by Mediapart and Israeli media outlets, the restrictions apply to personnel holding the nationality of 31 Muslim-majority countries. These include Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Niger, among others.

The requirements cover both pilots and cabin crew members. They also extend to individuals holding dual citizenship, meaning that possessing another nationality does not necessarily exempt crew members from the restrictions.

Israeli broadcaster N12 reported that the country's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety notified foreign airlines about the requirements on October 1, outlining the rules governing the deployment of personnel on flights serving Israel.

Although the restrictions were already in place before the September 30 flydubai incident, reports indicate that they had not previously been enforced as strictly. Israeli authorities had largely relied on foreign airlines to ensure that crew members holding the nationalities covered by the rules were not assigned to flights operating to and from the country.

The stricter enforcement could create additional challenges for international airlines in crew scheduling, staff deployment and flight operations on routes connecting with Israel.

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