Israeli Airlines Vet Foreign Pilots Amid Security Concerns

Israeli air carriers have begun independently vetting foreign flight crews operating leased aircraft, preempting official investigations and new directives from the Shin Bet, Mossad, and Ministry of Transport. This initiative follows an attempted terror attack on a Flydubai flight on September 30. One airline has contracted an Israeli cybersecurity firm to scrutinize the backgrounds and social media activity of 2,500 foreign pilots and flight attendants working on flights operated by Israeli carriers using foreign-based planes. The identities of the contracting and performing companies remain undisclosed, and the results of these checks have not yet been released.

The security checks were prompted by the September 30 incident, which exposed significant gaps in Israel's aviation security system. Media reports indicated that while crew information was submitted to Israel in advance, various agencies deferred responsibility for vetting. The Ministry of Transport acknowledged that existing regulations did not account for threats originating from flight crew members. The extent of the issue became apparent when a parliamentary committee learned that 1,240 crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel, including Syria and Lebanon, had entered the country in the past year.

Israeli carriers are now attempting to address these security deficiencies proactively. Meanwhile, Flydubai has requested permission from Israeli authorities to resume its Dubai-Tel Aviv route, submitting the findings of its internal investigation. However, Minister of Transport Miri Regev has thus far refused to authorize the resumption of flights.