New Rules for Airline Crew Data Follow Near-Disaster Flight
Translated & summarized from Hamal by baba
Israel's Tax Authority has mandated airlines submit pilot and crew data 48 hours before flights, following a near-hijacking incident on a Flydubai plane in September. The new rules aim to give security agencies more time for vetting. The incident, where a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain en route to Tel Aviv, was thwarted by passengers and crew. While data submission timing is improved, the directives do not establish new background check requirements or assign responsibility for them.
The story in 4 lines · by baba
- Airlines must now submit crew data 48 hours before flights to Israel, per new Tax Authority rules.
- The directives follow a September 30th incident where a Flydubai co-pilot allegedly attempted to hijack a plane to Israel.
- The attempted hijacking was foiled by passengers and crew, leading to an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.
- New rules improve data submission timing but do not mandate new background checks for flight crews.
Israel's Tax Authority has issued new directives to airlines requiring them to submit pilot and crew details at least 48 hours before takeoff. This measure aims to provide security agencies with sufficient time to vet the information, a response to a September 30th incident where a co-pilot of a Flydubai flight en route to Israel allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to hijack the plane.
The attempted hijacking was thwarted by passengers and crew, with the plane making an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia. The incident highlighted significant gaps in the oversight of foreign flight crews operating flights to Israel, particularly regarding background checks and the timing of information delivery to security bodies. Despite a 2023 law mandating 48-hour advance data submission, information was often received close to departure.
The updated guidelines from the National Bureau for Passenger Data Analysis, operating under the Tax Authority, mandate airlines to provide a full initial crew list 48 hours prior to scheduled departure. Updates are required at check-in and no later than two hours before takeoff, with any crew changes or altered details necessitating a complete resubmission. A final, updated list must be provided at the actual departure time.
These requirements apply to all airlines flying to and from Israel, including code-share flights where the operating airline is responsible for data submission. Tax Authority officials stated that the earlier submission will allow aviation security bodies more time for preparation than is typical globally, enhancing security responses. However, the new directives address only the data submission phase, not the crucial aspect of conducting background checks or defining who is responsible for them, leaving the question of verification unanswered.
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