Flydubai Passengers Struggle With Trauma, Lack of Official Support

Passengers who experienced a terrifying incident on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel are still grappling with severe anxiety and trauma five days later, with many feeling abandoned by state authorities. Daniela Almaliach, a passenger returning from Thailand, described feeling like she is reliving the flight constantly, suffering from internal anxiety where "everything startles me." She noted that beyond initial media attention, no official entity has contacted the passengers to offer support or updates. Without government assistance, passengers are independently seeking help from various organizations while trying to maintain their work and family routines despite deep psychological distress.

Another passenger, Oren Pasharni, who sat near the cockpit, recounted the moments the plane suddenly began to dive, hearing screams and realizing the immediate life-threatening danger. He expressed frustration that the state is not taking responsibility for its citizens who were potentially targeted in a deliberate act, emphasizing a prevailing sense of being left alone. Pasharni highlighted that five days after the incident, passengers still lack clarity on their rights, and the state has not officially recognized the event as an act of terror.

The Ministry of Health has adopted a cautious approach, refraining from proactive outreach to passengers. A professional source within the ministry explained that direct contact could unnecessarily pathologize natural anxiety responses, aiming instead to allow passengers to rely on their inner resilience. However, bureaucratic hurdles and inter-ministerial disputes have left a void in organized support. The Ministry of Welfare attempted to obtain passenger lists for social worker support, but the Airport Authority cited privacy concerns, and the airline did not respond to inquiries.

Legal and insurance complexities also persist. The National Insurance Institute stated that activating an "anxiety procedure" requires the Ministry of Defense to officially define the event as an act of hostility. The Ministry of Defense indicated that decisions would be based on information from investigative bodies, while claims are initially filed with the National Insurance Institute for review. The Ministry of Transportation directed passengers to deal directly with Flydubai, citing the Montreal Convention which governs airline liability for passenger damages, and advised seeking compensation from the airline or through legal channels.

In response to the incident, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev has urgently appealed to the head of the National Security Council to implement stricter measures, including a pre-flight visa procedure requiring checks and approvals from the Population and Immigration Authority and security agencies for all passengers and crew on foreign flights arriving in Israel.