Senior Pilot Praises Israeli Passengers' Quick Thinking in Flydubai Incident

Hagai Mayer, chairman of the Pilots Association and a veteran pilot with over 40 years of experience, commended the quick actions of Israeli passengers during a recent incident aboard a Flydubai flight. The aircraft, which had a broken wing, landed safely in Saudi Arabia. Mayer, who has flown over 10,000 hours as a fighter pilot in the Israeli Air Force and for El Al, emphasized that while full details are still emerging, lessons must be learned from the event.

Mayer highlighted that the immediate priority is to understand how the incident began, questioning whether an unauthorized individual entered the cockpit and, if so, how the door was opened, as only flight crew can access it. He stressed the need to await the full investigation's findings before drawing conclusions.

"The Israelis were very sharp," Mayer stated, praising the passengers for understanding the situation early and bravely assisting in regaining control, thereby saving themselves and everyone else on board. He also credited the co-pilot's skill in safely landing the damaged aircraft, describing the outcome as a combination of a miracle and good fortune, with the flight crew performing well after the unusual event began.

Recalling the 2015 Germanwings crash where 150 people died after the co-pilot intentionally crashed the plane, Mayer noted that procedures have since changed, with airlines investing heavily in pilot training, screening, and preparedness for various scenarios. He suggested that questions remain regarding security protocols on foreign airlines and who is permitted to board aircraft, especially on routes not served by Israeli carriers but frequented by Israelis.