Air France has barred Pakistani pilots and cabin crew from operating flights to and from Israel, as the country steps up enforcement of restrictions on airline staff holding citizenship of nations with which it has no diplomatic relations.
It also said employees concerned by the restrictions had been informed of the new regulations introduced by Israeli authorities for flights to Tel Aviv. Smartwings, the largest airline in the Czech Republic, has separately confirmed that it will comply with Israel’s requirements. The airline had initially considered asking crew members to voluntarily declare whether they fell under the restrictions. However, Alter, the union representing flight deck crew, opposed the proposal.
Reports published on October 13 by French investigative outlet Mediapart and aviation intelligence company ch-aviation said Air France and United Airlines had informed their flight and cabin crew about the restrictions. The restrictions cover 31 Muslim-majority countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iraq, Lebanon and Niger, according to reports by Mediapart and Israeli media. Israel’s Ministry of Transport and Road Safety notified foreign airlines about the requirements on October 1, according to Israeli broadcaster N12.
The aircraft was about an hour into its journey and still in Ethiopian airspace when the order was issued, according to The Jerusalem Post. A memo circulated to employees also cautioned that the list of restricted nationalities might not be exhaustive, according to reports. The airline said, however, that its crew assignments and operations had not been affected so far.
