FlyDubai and Die… But Not Today as Passengers Go Full United 93, Storm Cockpit, and Take Back Control
What began Wednesday morning as a reported cockpit altercation aboard a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight has evolved into a suspected terror attack involving an attempt to seize control of the aircraft. Alex Selsky and Jonathan Spyer, spokesmen for the Middle East Forum, are available to discuss what the incident reveals about aviation security, the insider threat and the rapidly changing security environment surrounding Israel and the Gulf.
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- FlyDubai Passengers may have stopped another Flight 93-style catastrophe
- An alleged insider threat put an Israeli-bound FlyDubai flight at risk
- Saudi Arabia provided an unexpected refuge for Israeli passengers
- Gulf aviation raises new questions about cockpit security
- Breaking news outran officials during a rapidly evolving crisis
The FlyDubai incident is strikingly reminiscent of United Flight 93 on September 11, 2001—but with a different outcome. Passengers aboard FZ1073 reportedly recognized the danger, stormed the cockpit and helped prevent an alleged attacker from taking control of the aircraft, while two off-duty pilots among the passengers took over the controls. In other words, this may have been a real-world version of “Flight 93—if the passengers had won,” with ordinary travelers potentially preventing a hijacking from becoming a mass-casualty catastrophe.
Flydubai flight FZ1073, a Boeing 737 MAX 8 carrying roughly 174 passengers, including 27 children and mostly Israelis, was flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv when the aircraft suddenly descended from approximately 34,000 feet to 15,000 feet over northern Saudi Arabia. The FlyDubai flight transmitted an emergency signal and briefly displayed the international hijacking code 7500, prompting Israel to scramble fighter jets. The aircraft ultimately diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, landing safely.
The details became increasingly alarming after Israeli officials told local media that one pilot allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Passengers reportedly intervened, including off-duty pilots who were traveling aboard the flight and took control of the aircraft. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said passengers had helped prevent a potentially catastrophic outcome. Saudi authorities are reportedly questioning the suspected attacker.
For Selsky and Spyer, the episode raises an uncomfortable question about the insider threat created when Gulf carriers routinely transport passengers between the UAE and Israel. Who vets the pilots and other aviation personnel operating these routes? What security information does Israel receive about foreign crews? And how vulnerable are commercial aircraft when the threat comes from someone already inside the cockpit?
The flight’s emergency landing also offers a striking illustration of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia—despite the absence of formal diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia accepted an aircraft carrying a large number of Israelis, secured the passengers and allowed Flydubai to send another aircraft to continue their journey. The practical realities of regional cooperation can sometimes move ahead of formal agreements.
Finally, the FlyDubai incident demonstrates the difficulty of interpreting breaking security news. The initial Israeli assessment that this was “not a hijacking” changed within hours as additional information emerged. Flight-tracking data, passenger accounts and social-media reports circulated before authorities had established a complete picture. Selsky and Spyer can discuss how media, governments and the public should distinguish verified facts from preliminary reporting during a fast-moving security crisis.
Relevant Article(s):
Passengers overcame co-pilot who tried to crash flydubai flight, Netanyahu says | Reuters
OPTIONAL Q&A:
- How close was FlyDubai FZ1073 to becoming another Flight 93?
- What do we know about the alleged cockpit attack aboard the FlyDubai flight?
- How serious is the insider threat on Gulf carriers?
- Who is responsible for vetting pilots flying into Israel?
- Did passengers effectively save the aircraft from disaster?
- What does Saudi Arabia’s response reveal about regional normalization?
- Why did the initial “not a hijacking” assessment change so quickly?
- How should the public evaluate conflicting reports during breaking security crises?
ABOUT GREGG ROMAN…
Gregg Roman is the executive director of the Middle East Forum. In 2014, the Jewish Telegraphic Agency named him one of the “ten most inspiring global Jewish leaders,” and he previously served as the political advisor to Israel’s deputy foreign minister and worked for the Israeli Ministry of Defense.
A frequent speaker on Middle East affairs, Mr. Roman has testified before Congress and the Knesset and appears on international news channels such as Fox News, i24NEWS, Al Jazeera, BBC World News, and Israel’s Channels 12 and 13. He studied national security and political communications at American University and the Interdisciplinary Center in Herzliya and has contributed to The Hill, Newsweek, the Los Angeles Times, the Miami Herald, and the Jerusalem Post.
ABOUT ALEX SELSKY…
Alex Selsky serves as Director of Israel and East Mediterranean Affairs and serves on the board of directors of Middle East Forum-Israel. Mr. Selsky currently serves as a reserve major in the IDF Homefront Command emergency information unit. He is also a lecturer at the School of Government, Communication and Diplomacy at Jerusalem Multidisciplinary College.
Previously, Mr. Selsky served as an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, spokesperson for the Israeli National Economic Council, member of the board of governors of the Jewish Agency for Israel, member of the executive board of the World Zionist Organization, and CEO of the International Israel Beytenu Movement. He holds a B.A. in Business and an Executive Master of Public Policy from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem.
ABOUT JONATHAN SPYER…
Jonathan Spyer oversees the Forum’s content and is editor of the Middle East Quarterly. Mr. Spyer, a journalist, reports for Janes Intelligence Review, writes a column for the Jerusalem Post, and is a contributor to the Wall Street Journal and The Australian. He frequently reports from Syria and Iraq.
He has a B.A. from the London School of Economics, an M.A. from the School of Oriental and African Studies in London, and a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics. He is the author of two books: The Transforming Fire: The Rise of the Israel-Islamist Conflict (2010) and Days of the Fall: A Reporter’s Journey in the Syria and Iraq Wars (2017).
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