Air France, United Airlines restrict crew from 29 countries on Israel flights
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Air France and United Airlines have introduced restrictions on flight and cabin crew from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel on flights to and from Tel Aviv, following stricter enforcement of Israeli entry requirements.
According to reports by Mediapart and aviation intelligence company ch-aviation on October 13, Air France confirmed compliance with the requirements, while United Airlines incorporated them into crew-planning procedures. Czech airline Smartwings has also said it will comply.
The restrictions reportedly apply to crew members holding the nationality, including dual nationality, of countries without diplomatic ties with Israel. United Airlines’ internal memo lists 29 countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Iraq and Lebanon.
Israeli authorities reportedly tightened enforcement after an attempted terror attack involving an Omani co-pilot aboard a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30. The restrictions were reportedly in place before the incident but had not been strictly enforced.
The Jerusalem Post reported that an Ethiopian Airlines flight was turned back on Tuesday after Israeli authorities identified an Indonesian pilot on board. The aircraft returned to Addis Ababa, where the pilot was replaced before the flight resumed. The airline described the incident as a mistake, saying it had been unaware of the restriction.
Israeli broadcaster N12 reported that the Ministry of Transport notified foreign airlines on October 1 that crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel.
Air France told Al Jazeera it was required to comply with the entry regulations of the countries it serves.
Mediapart reported that Air France had instructed employees to disclose second nationalities, prompting opposition from the Alter union, which argued that voluntary declarations would amount to “discrimination based on nationality”.
Reports differ on the number of countries affected, with Israeli media citing 31 and United Airlines’ memo listing 29.