Air France says it will follow Israeli rule barring crew from some nations

What the report says

Air France says it will comply with a new Israeli rule that bars pilots and cabin crew from some countries from flying into or over Israel, according to Al Jazeera’s report published Oct. 13, 2026. The airline said it must follow the entry regulations set by the countries it serves and told Al Jazeera that affected staff had been informed of the change.

The reported Israeli directive, first described by Israeli media and the French outlet Mediapart, covers 31 mainly Muslim-majority countries, including Algeria, Tunisia, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Niger. Al Jazeera reported that Israel’s transport authorities told foreign airlines on Oct. 1 that crew working flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality, or dual nationality, of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel. The policy followed a Sept. 30 incident in which an Omani co-pilot was accused of trying to hijack a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, according to Emirati and Israeli authorities.

The decision has raised concerns in France and elsewhere that airlines could face anti-discrimination challenges if they alter crew assignments based on nationality. A Paris-based lawyer quoted by Al Jazeera said the policy could conflict with French labour law, while other experts noted that countries do have authority over entry to their airspace and territory under international aviation rules.

Al Jazeera said several airlines were contacted about the directive; Czech carrier Smartwings confirmed it had received it and would comply, while United Airlines declined to comment.