A Flydubai co-pilot accused of attacking his captain with an emergency axe and attempting to seize control of the flight bound for Israel had previously been barred from flying over concerns about alleged “extremist” views, raising questions about how he was allowed to fly to Tel Aviv.
The co-pilot has been identified as Hamam al-Hammami, an Omani national, according to multiple media reports.
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The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has described the September 30 incident aboard Flight FZ1073 as an attempted “terrorist” operation.
But investigators are still working to establish the motive and whether anyone else was connected to the attack, which has raised concerns about pilot vetting and aviation security.
So, what security checks do pilots have to go through and how al-Hammami may have evaded background checks?
How did al-Hammami apparently pass the checks?
That is now one of the central questions facing investigators.
Al-Hammami had previously been barred from flying in Oman because of concerns that he had adopted “extremist” views and was instead moved to an administrative role at Oman Air, according to sources who spoke to the AP news agency.
He was subsequently hired by Flydubai.
A Gulf diplomat told AP that al-Hammami had undergone standard security checks before being hired. It wasn’t immediately clear to what extent the co-pilot was vetted.
The US-based network CNN reported that a LinkedIn profile bearing al-Hammami’s name said he had spent seven years at Oman Air before leaving in February 2025. The profile said he joined Royal Air Maroc in June 2025 and left in January this year.
It is unclear what those alleged views were or whether Oman informed other countries or airlines about its concerns.
What background checks do commercial pilots go through?
Background checks for commercial pilots vary by airline and country, with no single global standard governing the process, an airline pilot and instructor told Al Jazeera.
The captain with an international airline who chose to remain anonymous said pilots are generally required to obtain aviation medical certification from the regulator in the country where they are licensed to fly.
In the UAE, that is overseen by the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA), he said.
Some airlines also require prospective pilots to provide police clearance certificates from their country of residence as part of pre-employment screening, the pilot added.
One type of check is a Class 1 medical assessment, which typically examines areas including vision, hearing, cardiovascular and neurological health, as well as conditions that could cause sudden incapacitation.
When it comes to security checks, aviation rules require background checks for personnel who have unescorted access to security-restricted areas.
Psychological assessments, drug and alcohol testing and other evaluations may be required depending on the jurisdiction.
How did Israel allow him to fly?
Israel has some of the world’s toughest aviation security measures.
As a result, questions have been raised over how the alleged attacker was allowed to operate a flight to Israel, despite reportedly being an Omani national and Oman having no diplomatic relations with Israel.
According to the Haaretz newspaper, Israeli authorities received the Flydubai flight’s crew and passenger lists before it departed. Under a law passed in 2023, airlines are required to provide information about passengers and crew members, including their names and nationalities, to Israel up to 48 hours before a flight.
The Israel Tax Authority confirmed to Haaretz that it had received the lists for the Flydubai flight. The media outlet reported that the information is also supposed to be available to Israeli security bodies, including the Mossad, police and Shin Bet, to identify people who may pose a security risk.
According to security sources who spoke to Haaretz, the Transportation Ministry’s Security Department and the Mossad are responsible for checking foreign flight crews and issuing alerts if concerns arise.
However, two security sources told Haaretz that while the Transportation Ministry holds responsibility “on paper”, it does not have its own intelligence capacity.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said that Israel has longstanding arrangements with foreign airlines aimed at preventing pilots who are nationals of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel from flying there.
Netanyahu has described what happened as a “loophole” and Israel says it will now strengthen its checks.
The UAE has not yet publicly established a motive or announced whether investigators believe al-Hammami acted alone.
UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said on Saturday that the latest ‘terrorist’ attack is a new warning that the region’s fight against “extremism” is not over.
“This underscores the importance of the UAE’s early and firm stance: no tolerance for extremism and no leniency towards its rhetoric. Security begins with confronting hatred and drying up the sources of extremism,” he posted on X.