Politics1 min read

Israel overhauls airline security after attempted flydubai hijacking

By · Via Times of India · Published by Everything Blog

In short

Aviation authorities now require all airlines operating in Israel to transmit crew manifests 48 hours before departure, with mandatory updates two hours prior to takeoff and upon departure. Non-Israeli crew and passengers are also obligated to complete an online screening form two days ahead of their travel. The measures close gaps identified after internal documents revealed the Transportation Ministry lacked the capacity to adequately monitor passenger data systems.

Key points

  • The Shin Bet security service now oversees aviation security procedures for incoming fore…: The Shin Bet security service now oversees aviation security procedures for incoming foreign carriers and their overseas hubs.
  • Carriers must provide preliminary crew manifests 48 hours before departure, submit update…: Carriers must provide preliminary crew manifests 48 hours before departure, submit updates two hours prior to takeoff, and provide a final list at departure.
  • The heightened scrutiny addresses systemic risks highlighted by the entry of over 1,200 c…: The heightened scrutiny addresses systemic risks highlighted by the entry of over 1,200 crew members from nations without diplomatic relations with Israel since early 2026.

Sources checked by our analysis pipeline: 1

Israel has tightened security requirements for airlines operating flights to and from the country, requiring carriers to submit crew details 48 hours before departure, a month after an attempted hijacking of a flydubai flight exposed gaps in the screening of foreign pilots and airline personnel.

The new directives, issued Thursday by Israel’s National Center for Passenger Data Analysis, apply to all incoming and outgoing flights operated by Israeli and foreign airlines. Carriers must provide crew information at least 48 hours before departure, submit any subsequent updates no later than two hours before takeoff and issue a final list at takeoff, according to The Times of Israel.

The measures were ordered by prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu following a security review and are intended to give authorities sufficient time to conduct background checks, Bloomberg reported.

The changes follow an incident on September 30, when Omani copilot Hamam al-Hammami allegedly attacked Captain Smit Machchhar, the Indian pilot commanding a Flydubai flight carrying Israeli passengers from Dubai to Tel Aviv, and attempted to seize control of the aircraft. Despite being seriously injured, Machchhar managed…

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