Air France has reportedly restricted pilots and cabin crew members from certain countries, including Pakistan, from operating flights to and from Israel, following tighter enforcement of Israeli aviation rules. United Airlines has also informed employees about nationality-based restrictions affecting flights to Tel Aviv, according to reports cited in the supplied source.
The measures reportedly cover crew members holding the nationality, or dual nationality, of countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel. The restrictions gained renewed attention following an attempted attack aboard a FlyDubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30, 2026.
Air France has confirmed that it is complying with Israeli entry requirements for employees and passengers. United Airlines has reportedly incorporated the restrictions into its crew-planning procedures, while Czech carrier Smartwings has also confirmed compliance.
Which Nationalities Are Affected?
According to aviation intelligence company ch-aviation, an internal United Airlines scheduling memo listed 29 countries whose nationals could be restricted from working on flights to and from Tel Aviv.
The list reportedly includes Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Malaysia, Afghanistan, Algeria, Kuwait, Qatar, Syria, Yemen and several other countries.
Israeli media reports have referred to restrictions covering 31 countries, although the number of countries listed varies between reports and airline documents. The precise scope of the rules and their application to dual nationals may depend on the relevant requirements.
Ethiopian Airlines Flight Reportedly Turned Back
An Ethiopian Airlines flight was reportedly ordered to return to Addis Ababa after Israeli authorities identified an Indonesian pilot on board. Indonesia does not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.
According to the report, the airline replaced the pilot before the aircraft departed again for Tel Aviv. Ethiopian Airlines described the incident as a mistake, saying it had not known that the pilot was barred from operating the flight.
The episode has highlighted the operational challenges airlines may face when applying nationality-related restrictions to crew scheduling.
Air France and United Airlines Adjust Procedures
Air France told Al Jazeera that it was required to comply with entry regulations established by the countries it serves, covering both customers and employees. The airline reportedly informed affected staff about the requirements for flights to Tel Aviv.
French investigative publication Mediapart also reported that Air France had considered asking crew members to voluntarily disclose whether they held a restricted nationality. A union representing flight-deck crew reportedly opposed that approach, arguing that it could amount to discrimination based on nationality.
United Airlines has reportedly asked affected employees to arrange changes to their assignments and has integrated the requirements into its scheduling systems. The internal memo reportedly cautioned that its list might not be exhaustive.
Why Israel Tightened Crew Restrictions
According to reports cited in the source, Israel's Ministry of Transport and Road Safety notified foreign airlines on October 1 that pilots and cabin crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold certain nationalities, including through dual citizenship.
The rules reportedly existed before the FlyDubai incident but were not consistently enforced. Following the incident, Israeli authorities moved to strengthen compliance and monitoring.
The measures raise questions about how airlines can meet destination-country entry requirements while addressing employee rights, nationality-based restrictions and potential legal challenges. Whether more carriers will adopt similar procedures remains uncertain.
For official aviation information, visit the Israel Ministry of Transport and Road Safety.
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