FlyDubai Pilot Planned July Attack, Called Off Due to Feelings for Colleague

The pilot who attempted to carry out a terror attack on a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 had originally planned a similar assault in July, but aborted the mission due to feelings for a female crew member, The Wall Street Journal reported. Al-Hammami had previously mentioned in interrogations that he once abandoned an attack plan at the last minute because someone he cared about was on board, though it was not previously specified that this person was a woman. He was reportedly a devout Muslim who avoided physical contact with female colleagues and was planning to marry and prevent his wife from working after their wedding. Investigators believe he may have decided to proceed with the attack after concluding he could not start a family.

Al-Hammami joined FlyDubai in February 2026 and specifically sought assignments to Tel Aviv flights, aiming to crash the plane, possibly near Ben Gurion Airport, according to WSJ. His stated motive was the war in Gaza. He had been on a flight in July that could have been an attack target, but he backed out due to personal affection for a crew member.

Further details about al-Hammami's background reveal that Oman Air had previously grounded him due to concerns about his extremist views, moving him to ground duties and enrolling him in a deradicalization program. Royal Air Maroc later refused to hire him. Despite these incidents, FlyDubai hired him after a background check for criminal convictions, without seeking references from previous employers.

Saudi Arabia has launched a separate aviation security investigation into the incident, notifying international aviation bodies and proceeding under ICAO rules. This is an unusual step, as such investigations typically follow accidents rather than intentional cockpit attacks. The UAE, where the plane is registered, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) are also involved. Israel, which had most of the passengers on board, has offered assistance but is not yet officially part of the investigation, though Israeli media reported intelligence service involvement in interrogations. The UAE is conducting a parallel criminal investigation, classifying the event as a terrorist attack.

The identities of the two relief pilots who took control of the aircraft after the attack on Captain Smith Macchhar remain undisclosed, with FlyDubai not explaining the secrecy. Passenger accounts indicate that after four Israelis neutralized the attacker and aided the injured captain, the relief pilots entered the cockpit, stabilized the plane, and landed it in Saudi Arabia.