Flydubai Co-Pilot Cleared to Fly Despite Prior Security Bans in Oman

An Omani national serving as co-pilot on the Flydubai flight attacked by the captain had previously been barred from flying due to suspicions of holding extremist views, prompting renewed scrutiny over aviation security vetting processes. The incident occurred on September 30 aboard Flight FZ1073, which was bound for Tel Aviv, and has been characterized by UAE authorities as an attempted terrorist act.

The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami. Sources speaking to the Associated Press indicated that he was removed from active flying duties in Oman and reassigned to an administrative position at Oman Air because of concerns regarding his alleged extremist perspectives. He was later hired by Flydubai. A Gulf diplomat confirmed to the AP that al-Hammami underwent standard security screenings prior to his employment, though the depth of these checks remains unclear.

CNN reported that a LinkedIn profile associated with al-Hammami stated he spent seven years at Oman Air before departing in February 2025. The profile further claimed he joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and left in January of this year. It is currently unknown what specific views triggered the initial concerns or whether Oman shared this intelligence with other nations or airlines.

Background requirements for commercial pilots vary significantly by country and airline, with no universal global standard. According to an anonymous airline pilot and instructor who spoke to Al Jazeera, pilots must generally obtain aviation medical certification from the regulatory body of their licensing country, which in the UAE is the General Civil Aviation Authority. Some carriers also require police clearance certificates from the applicant’s country of residence.

Medical assessments, often referred to as Class 1 checks, typically evaluate vision, hearing, cardiovascular health, and neurological conditions that could lead to sudden incapacitation. Security protocols mandate background checks for personnel with unescorted access to restricted airport areas, while psychological evaluations and drug or alcohol testing may be required depending on local jurisdiction.

Questions have also arisen regarding how Israeli authorities permitted al-Hammami to operate a flight into the country, given that Oman maintains no diplomatic relations with Israel. Israeli aviation security is widely regarded as among the strictest globally. Under a law enacted in 2023, airlines must submit crew and passenger lists, including names and nationalities, to Israeli authorities at least 48 hours prior to departure.

The Israel Tax Authority confirmed to the newspaper Haaretz that it received the lists for the Flydubai flight. Haaretz reported that this data is accessible to Israeli security agencies, including the Mossad, police, and Shin Bet, to identify potential threats. Security sources told Haaretz that while the Transportation Ministry’s Security Department holds nominal responsibility for vetting foreign crews and issuing alerts, it lacks its own intelligence capacity.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Israel has long-standing agreements with foreign carriers designed to prevent pilots from countries without diplomatic ties to Israel from flying there. He described the failure to detect the risk as a