Air France enforces Israeli ban affecting pilots from Muslim countries
Air France has agreed to enforce an Israeli order barring pilots and cabin crew of certain nationalities from flights to Israel, including those from Muslim-majority countries, according to a Mediapart investigation.
The restrictions cover 31 nationalities, including Algerian, Tunisian, Iranian and Pakistani citizens. They also affect French citizens who hold one of the listed nationalities.
The directive targets nationality rather than explicitly naming religion, but effectively excludes Muslim pilots from those countries, alongside other affected crew members.
Mediapart reported that Air France had informed affected employees that they could no longer operate flights to Israel under the Israeli instructions. The airline also warned staff to declare a second nationality and said failure to comply could lead to disciplinary sanctions.
Air France’s enforcement of the restrictions could expose it to a legal challenge in France. The airline has not publicly commented on Mediapart’s findings.
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According to Israeli broadcaster N12, Israel’s Ministry of Transport issued the directive on 1 October. It requires airlines to ensure that pilots and flight attendants entering Israeli airspace do not hold the nationality or dual nationality of a country without diplomatic relations with Israel.
The order followed an alleged attempt by an Omani flydubai co-pilot to seize control of a Dubai–Tel Aviv flight on 30 September and crash it into a terminal at Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport.
The co-pilot told UAE investigators that he had acted alone. Neither the Israeli nor the UAE account has undergone independent verification, and little is known about the pilot beyond the information they have released.
The suspect previously worked for several airlines, including Oman Air and Royal Air Maroc, before joining flydubai in January 2026.
Israeli broadcaster Channel 13 reported that at least one unnamed Israeli airline was conducting background checks on about 2,500 pilots and cabin crew working in the country’s aviation sector.
Middle East Eye contacted Air France for a response to Mediapart’s findings but received no reply by publication.
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