Air France has reportedly said that it will follow Israel's new rules restricting pilots and cabin crew members holding the nationality, including dual nationality, of countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel from operating flights to or over the country.
The restrictions reportedly cover nationals of 31 countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia and Algeria, according to Al Jazeera, which cited Israeli media reports and French investigative publication Mediapart.
The policy has raised concerns over the treatment of airline employees based on their nationality and the challenges it could create for international carriers operating services to Israel.
“Like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry regulations established by the authorities of the countries it serves, both for its customers and employees,” Al Jazeera quoted the airline as saying.
An internal memo to Air France pilots and cabin crew, reviewed by Mediapart, reportedly warned that non-compliance could expose both the airline and the employee concerned to sanctions.
What are Israel's new restrictions on airline crew?
Israel's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety informed foreign airlines on October 1 that pilots and cabin crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality, including dual nationality, of countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, according to Israeli broadcaster N12.
{{/usCountry}}Israel's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety informed foreign airlines on October 1 that pilots and cabin crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality, including dual nationality, of countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel, according to Israeli broadcaster N12.
{{/usCountry}}The restrictions reportedly apply to citizens of 31 countries. However, an internal United Airlines scheduling memo listed 29 countries, according to reports.
Apart from Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Malaysia, the affected countries reportedly include Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon, Qatar, Syria and Yemen, among others.
The directive could require international airlines employing crew members from these countries to revise staffing arrangements for flights to Israel.
Flydubai incident reported a day before restrictions
The restrictions were reportedly reinforced following an incident involving a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30.
According to Al Jazeera, citing Emirati and Israeli authorities, an Omani co-pilot allegedly attacked the Indian captain and attempted to hijack the aircraft. The co-pilot was also accused of trying to crash the plane into Israel's Ben Gurion Airport.
The Indian captain was reportedly injured and has been recovering in hospital.
Israel issued the directive the following day. However, the precise connection between the incident and the introduction of the restrictions has not been independently established in the available reports.
Which other airlines are complying with Israel's rules?
Air France is among the airlines that have addressed the restrictions. Smartwings, the Czech Republic's largest airline, also confirmed receiving the instructions and said it would comply with the applicable requirements.
“We received the directive from the Israeli authorities in September 2026. We have carefully reviewed the directive and continue to monitor and comply with all applicable requirements issued by the relevant authorities,” Vladimira Dufkova, a Smartwings spokesperson, told Al Jazeera.
The airline said the directive had not affected its operations, crew management procedures or the deployment of crew members on flights to and from Israel.
United Airlines has also informed pilots and cabin crew about nationality-based restrictions, according to reports. However, the US carrier declined to provide further details to Al Jazeera and did not confirm whether it had received the Israeli directive or taken action in response.