Israel's Transportation Ministry barred flights carrying United Airlines pilot Sina Amjadian as a crew member from entering Israeli airspace, after officials reviewed allegations about his social-media activity. The airline received the restriction in writing, according to the ministry.
The order applies to flights on which he serves. No flight cancellation has been linked to it.
Amjadian, who is of Iranian descent and is believed to live in Dubai, has worked for the carrier since November 2022. The airline operates two daily flights to Israel, but says Amjadian is not licensed to fly wide-body aircraft and works domestic U.S. routes and flights between the United States and Canada.
It remains unclear whether he has previously flown to Israel, was ever scheduled to operate a flight to Ben Gurion Airport, or is qualified to fly the aircraft types used on the airline's Israel routes. Those details leave open how the restriction would affect a planned crew roster.
The crew restriction does not decide whether Amjadian may enter Israel personally
Transportation Ministry officials said the authority to stop a pilot from operating a flight to Israel differs from the authority to approve or deny that person's physical entry. The decision concerns his role as a crew member.
The ministry said it does not act as an intelligence agency or independently gather security intelligence from social media. Officials said it coordinates with relevant security agencies when information raises aviation-safety concerns.
United told affected crew to contact its scheduling department
A broader Israeli directive also prompted the carrier to contact pilots and flight attendants who might be affected. Crew members scheduled to fly to Tel Aviv were instructed to:
- Contact the airline's scheduling department.
- Work with its teams on any necessary roster changes.
“Our teams will work with you to make any necessary scheduling adjustments,” the airline told employees. The notice addresses crew assignments, not passenger ticket changes.
The referral relied on social-media posts that officials have not independently verified
The allegations came from two posts by other users on X, not statements by Amjadian presented to Israeli authorities. They have not been independently verified.
One post alleged he had shared pro-Iranian material, including a clip in which he was said to kiss and salute an emblem of Iran's regime. The second alleged support for the Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah, and called on the airline to investigate. Other online claims cited a song praising Iran's missile attack on Tel Aviv and alleged support for the October 7 Hamas massacre.
Avi Cohen Scali, director general of the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and Combating Antisemitism, sent a referral letter on October 19 to Shin Bet chief David Zini and Transportation Ministry director general Moshe Ben Zaken. Israel Airports Authority director general Sharon Kadmi and other senior officials received copies.
The ministry's statement said the allegations required security review because pilots hold responsibility for passengers and crew. It wrote:
“This is information that raises concern and requires a professional security review, given the sensitive role of a pilot in an international airline and the direct responsibility for the safety and security of passengers and crew members.”
The Transportation Ministry sent the information to the Mossad and Unit 760 for review. After a security assessment, officials recommended barring Amjadian from serving on flights entering Israel.
The ministry linked its warning to an attack aboard a flydubai flight
The Diaspora Affairs Ministry said the warning followed an attempted cockpit attack aboard a flydubai flight bound for Israel in late September. On September 30, Flight 1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when its Omani co-pilot, Hamam al-Hammami, attacked captain Smit Machchhar and tried to take control.
Machchhar, an Indian national, opened the cockpit door despite being injured. Two other pilots and several Israeli passengers subdued al-Hammami, and the plane landed safely in Saudi Arabia.
PressTV's account said al-Hammami told UAE investigators he acted independently, attacked the captain with an emergency axe and then attempted a terrorist act. The account also described an allegation that the flight was meant to crash into a terminal at Ben Gurion Airport. Those claims are distinct from the verified account of the plane landing safely.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump later hailed Machchhar as a “hero.”
The October 1 nationality directive makes airlines responsible for screening crews
The Aviation Security Operations Center notified foreign airlines on October 1 of rules barring pilots and cabin crew who hold citizenship, including dual citizenship, in countries without diplomatic relations with Israel. The directive assigns screening responsibility to airlines.
A company scheduling memo lists 29 countries: Afghanistan, Algeria, Bangladesh, Brunei, Comoros, Cuba, Djibouti, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Lebanon, Libya, Malaysia, Maldives, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, North Korea, Oman, Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia, Venezuela and Yemen. Other published tallies put the count at 31, adding Nicaragua and Colombia.
Air France issued a similar employee notice. Smartwings, the Czech Republic's largest airline, said it would comply, while reporting that its crew assignments and operations had not been affected so far.
The nationality restrictions predate the September 30 attack but were reportedly not consistently enforced. Israel had largely relied on foreign airlines to screen crews, while Shin Bet did not routinely verify nationalities. Pilots from Oman, Iran, Iraq, Pakistan and Lebanon had operated flights into Tel Aviv despite the guidelines.
At least one unnamed Israeli airline is checking approximately 2,500 pilots and cabin crew members. Four days after the attack, Netanyahu ordered a review of security procedures for foreign civil aviation and instructed National Security Council chief Shmuel Ben Ezra to appoint an examiner.
Israeli security officials are continuing efforts to identify other airline personnel they consider potential concerns as aviation-security checks tighten.
