Israeli Airlines Launch Independent Checks on Foreign Flight Crews After FlyDubai Incident
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
Israeli airlines are independently vetting foreign flight crews after a co-pilot attempted to hijack a FlyDubai plane to Tel Aviv on September 30. The incident exposed security flaws in how foreign crews are screened, prompting airlines to hire cybersecurity firms for background checks. Concerns have also been raised about crew members entering Israel from countries without diplomatic relations. FlyDubai seeks to resume flights, but the Israeli Minister of Transport has not yet approved it.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Israeli airlines are independently vetting foreign flight crews after a FlyDubai hijacking attempt.
- An Israeli cybersecurity firm is examining backgrounds and social media of 2,500 foreign crew members.
- The September 30 incident involved a co-pilot attempting to attack Ben Gurion Airport.
- Security gaps were found in vetting foreign crews, including those from countries without diplomatic ties.
- FlyDubai seeks to resume flights, but the Israeli Minister of Transport has not yet approved.
- The checks are being conducted without waiting for new directives from Israeli intelligence or the transport ministry.
Following an attempted hijacking on a FlyDubai flight to Tel Aviv on September 30, Israeli airlines have begun conducting their own security checks on foreign pilots and flight attendants. One airline has already initiated checks on 2,500 crew members, engaging an Israeli cybersecurity firm to vet their backgrounds and social media activity. These independent measures are being taken without waiting for new directives from Israeli intelligence agencies or the Ministry of Transport.
The incident involved the co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv allegedly attempting to seize control of the aircraft to attack Ben Gurion Airport. The investigation revealed significant security gaps in the screening process for foreign crews entering Israel. While information on crew members was previously shared with Israeli authorities, there was no clear responsibility assigned for vetting potential threats. The Ministry of Transport acknowledged that existing aviation security protocols did not account for attacks originating from crew members themselves.
Concerns were amplified by data presented to a parliamentary committee, indicating that 1,240 crew members from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel entered the country in the past year, including citizens of Syria and Lebanon. While citizenship alone does not imply extremist links, the lack of systematic checks raised questions about current security procedures.
In response to these findings, Israeli airlines decided to proactively enhance their own controls, bypassing the ongoing investigation and awaiting potential new instructions from Shin Bet, Mossad, and the Ministry of Transport. Meanwhile, FlyDubai is seeking to resume flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, submitting its investigation findings to Israeli authorities and requesting permission to restart services. However, Israeli Minister of Transport Miri Regev has not yet granted this approval.
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