El Al Crews Received Alert During FlyDubai Hijacking Attempt

An initial report transmitted to El Al flight crews during the attempted hijacking of a FlyDubai plane on November 3rd, 2026, has been revealed. The incident, which occurred exactly one month prior to the report's publication, was narrowly averted and could have become the largest civil aviation disaster in Israeli history. The report detailed the initial alert received by El Al crews as the situation unfolded.

Captain Yonatan Gat, El Al's Chief Pilot, described the flood of WhatsApp messages he received and his subsequent directive to all airborne El Al aircraft: "El Al Security Control. Please relay a message to all aircraft in the air to secure doors, close doors, no cockpit door opening." He explained the situation to the crews, stating, "We currently have an incident with a foreign aircraft en route to Tel Aviv from Dubai that reported a hijacking. We are still trying to ascertain details." The instruction to "secure doors on all aircraft in the air" was then issued.

Following the incident, significant changes have been implemented in global aviation security. A senior official from the aviation security firm "Ofek," identified only as "Ayin," stated that such an event prompts every security professional to re-examine their protocols. He asserted that Israeli aviation security is the most secure in the world, with every incident thoroughly investigated and analyzed to identify areas for improvement. Ayin emphasized that security for every flight begins before departure and concludes after arrival.

Gat further commented on the enhanced security measures for Israeli airlines, suggesting they surpass those of foreign carriers. He cited El Al's unique installation of cockpit doors for better protection and the company's exclusive "submarine procedure," a security protocol not found in other airlines.