On September 30, flydubai flight FZ1073, which connects Dubai with Tel Aviv, almost turned into a major terrorist act when the Oman pilot on the flight attacked the captain with a rescue axe and attempted to take control of the aircraft. The plane, which was carrying more than 170 people, then made a violent descent in about 30 seconds before the crew and passengers managed to neutralize the attacker. The flydubai reserve crew was also on board and ultimately allowed the plane to land safely in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
The co-pilot was arrested and repatriated to Abu Dhabi, where his trial will take place after an investigation. However, the case takes on a significantly more worrying dimension because it involves the safety and recruitment methods of the Dubai company. According to information reported on Monday by Reuters, Two Israeli officials claim that the co-pilot reportedly told Emirati investigators that he had prepared his attack even before being recruited by flydubai.
Another source close to the investigation claims that he sought employment with the company precisely because it served Tel Aviv. These details will still have to be substantiated during the investigation. Moreover, it has since been learned that this co-pilot was already considered unfit to fly in Oman due to extremist opinions. He was then reassigned to an office job and a de-radicalization program.
A permanently eroded image?
But all these elements raise questions…Because, if these information are confirmed, the problem would not be solely one of a failed recruitment. It could reveal a chain of failures in which the company flydubai It bears its share of responsibility. A chain that includes insufficient control over the candidate’s background, the absence or inadequacy of verification from previous employers as well as by civil aviation authorities – including Israel – when the Dubai-Tel Aviv flight is highly sensitive. And finally, the lack of information transmission by intelligence between Oman, the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
Beyond the security issues, the case is tarnishing the airline’s image and affecting the company’s trust capital as well as that of the civil aviation authorities. In the French-speaking world, flydubai is fortunately not very present. The carrier currently serves only one destination, Basel-Mulhouse, several times a week.
The company will indeed have to reassure its passengers and play the full transparency on its recruitment methods and the application of safety rules. Because the ripple effect could be significant if there remain any uncertainties in the investigation. Flydubai is indeed working in partnership with Emirates, matching the routes of the national airline of Dubai with the 125 destinations it operates through its own fleet. If the investigation ultimately confirms that warning signs existed even before the pilot was hired on flydubai, the impact on the carrier’s reputation could prove devastating.
