Airlines Must Report Crew Flying to Israel 48 Hours Before Departure

Airlines operating flights to Israel will now be required to report crew member information 48 hours prior to departure, according to new directives issued by the National Center for Passenger Diagnosis (Mal'an) within the Tax Authority. These updated regulations aim to enhance civil aviation security by tightening Israel's aviation security requirements and modifying crew reporting protocols.

Under the new guidelines, airlines must submit an initial report on their crew members, including any subsequent updates or changes, during the check-in window and no later than two hours before takeoff. A final, complete crew list will be provided at the actual time of departure. Mal'an stated that this extended reporting window, longer than is typical globally, will provide relevant authorities with more time for preparation and improve the security response.

The directives come approximately one month after an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight, during which the co-pilot attacked the captain on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Following this incident, an investigation by the police reportedly revealed that two senior officials with sensitive security roles in the Ministry of Transport were simultaneously holding outside jobs. Separately, a United Airlines pilot was reportedly barred from flying to Israel due to suspicions of Qatari affiliation, after posting an image of Ayatollah Khamenei with hearts on social media.