Israel tightens airline crew checks after Fly Dubai attack

The National Passenger Profiling Center (Mala"n), operating under the Tax Authority, has issued new and stringent protocols for all international airlines operating flights to Israel. The measures are designed to tighten security oversight of flight crew before they board the aircraft, following the serious security incident on a Fly Dubai flight to Israel.

Under the new protocols, airlines will be required to submit a detailed report on all crew members scheduled to fly to Israel 48 hours before the planned departure. During the check-in window, and no later than two hours before takeoff, carriers must update the information a second time and report any changes to the crew roster.

At the time of actual departure, each airline is required to transmit a final, complete crew list. Officials at the National Passenger Profiling Center explain that the stricter protocols and earlier reporting deadlines are intended to give Israeli security and profiling authorities a significantly longer window than is standard internationally to review the data, thereby substantially improving the security response and the ability to identify risks well in advance.

The measures come roughly a month after the serious hijacking attempt aboard a Fly Dubai flight en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv, during which the co-pilot attacked the captain mid-flight. The incident exposed a deep security failure, and it was later revealed by Kan News that in the course of the police investigation following the event, two senior officials responsible for sensitive security roles at the Transportation Ministry were found to be working private side jobs at the same time.

The new protocols are part of a broader set of steps aimed at improving aviation security. It emerged after the incident that the crew roster had been transmitted to the Israeli system late, only after the aircraft had already taken off. This time, the system will receive the information with enough lead time to allow thorough vetting of all crew members.

Security officials note that the new protocols are designed to prevent situations in which problematic or dangerous crew members board flights to Israel. The extended 48-hour window allows for more in-depth checks and coordination with international intelligence and security agencies when necessary.