Update: flydubai Co-Pilot Reportedly Planned Attack Before He Was Hired; Israel Orders Security Review of Foreign Airlines

October 5, 2026 — Update. The flydubai (FZ) co-pilot accused of attacking his captain on flight FZ1073 reportedly planned the attack before the airline hired him, and Israel’s prime minister has ordered a review of security on every foreign airline flying to Israel. flydubai’s Tel Aviv flights remain suspended.

What’s new since our October 3 update

The plan predated the job. Two Israeli officials told Reuters the co-pilot planned the attack before joining flydubai and had searched for airlines that fly to Tel Aviv, AeroTime reports.
An earlier attempt was dropped. A source briefed on the UAE investigation told Reuters he intended to carry out the attack on an earlier Tel Aviv flight this year but backed out because he knew someone on board. The Times of Israel says that flight was in July.
The target was Ben Gurion Airport. Israeli media report he told investigators he meant to fly a normal approach, then crash into the airport. The Times of Israel says he visited Ben Gurion in June.
Israel is reviewing all foreign carriers. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the review on October 4. Air Journal reports the head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, will appoint a coordinator to lead it.
Australia has opened an inquiry. Aviation24 reports a counter-terrorism team in Victoria is looking at the suspect’s time studying in Australia between 2015 and 2017.

Israeli media name the suspect as Hamam al-Hammami, a 29-year-old Omani national. Aviation24 notes UAE authorities have not officially confirmed his identity. The UAE Attorney-General has said the investigation into motive is continuing.

Where things stand

Item	Status on October 5
Incident	September 30, 2026, FZ1073 Dubai–Tel Aviv, Boeing 737 MAX 8, diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
flydubai flights to Israel	Suspended until further notice. Resumption date: TBA
Israel’s security review	Ordered October 4. Covers all foreign airlines. Deadline and measures: TBA
Crew nationality rule	Israel bars pilots from countries without diplomatic ties, Oman included. How an Omani pilot was rostered is under investigation
Passengers’ baggage	An Israir cargo flight brought it to Israel overnight on October 2–3

The crew-vetting question

The Times of Israel reports pilots from 27 countries face restrictions on entering Israel. Aviation24 says crew details for FZ1073 were sent to Israel before departure, and that Israel’s Transport Ministry says flydubai had confirmed in writing that it applied the nationality rule. Each side disputes who was responsible for the check.

View from the Wing reports the co-pilot had been grounded at Oman Air in 2024 after extremist material was found. Straight Arrow News points out that a security flag at one airline does not follow a pilot to the next employer or country.

What it means for non-revs

Do not plan flydubai travel to Tel Aviv. The route is suspended with no restart date. ZED listings on FZ to Israel are unusable for now.
Dubai–Tel Aviv capacity stays tight. With flydubai out, any other carrier flying between the UAE and Israel will be carrying displaced revenue passengers, so standby chances are poor.
Expect changes for any foreign airline flying to Israel. The review covers all of them. New crew-vetting or documentation steps could cause schedule changes or short-notice cancellations at carriers well beyond flydubai. Watch your own airline’s Tel Aviv flights.
If you are crew, expect closer checks on crew lists and nationality for Israel flights. Nothing specific has been announced yet.
The suspension covers Israel only. No wider flydubai schedule cuts turned up in today’s reporting.