Aviation Security Needs a Relook: Pilot Checks Must Be Strengthened

Indian Captain Smit Machchhar of a Dubai-Tel Aviv Flydubai flight needs to be saluted by one and all. He proved himself to be a “true hero” by successfully fighting off an attempt by his co-pilot to crash the flight, despite being stabbed and suffering serious injuries.

He has been flooded with accolades from across the globe. Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to his wife and family members and hailed him as a “hero.” Modi said the country was proud of his valour as he helped save hundreds of lives and averted a great tragedy.

US President Donald Trump also praised the courage and valour shown by Smit in saving the lives of about 180 passengers on the flight. He said he had spoken to Netanyahu about the incident.

Netanyahu said the Indian pilot had shown extraordinary courage in preventing a catastrophic mid-air disaster. Despite being stabbed and seriously injured, he fought back, resisted the attacker and opened the cockpit door, enabling passengers and crew to overpower him.

While the details of the incident are yet to emerge as the investigation is still in progress, the incident raises serious questions about aviation security. So far, we have seen security threats from terrorists who managed to sneak weapons onto aircraft and hijack flights. But in this case, the threat came from inside the cockpit itself.

The safe landing of this flight was nothing short of a miracle, as Captain Smit Machchhar succeeded in pushing back the attacker and opening the cockpit door, enabling the passengers to overpower him. It was also fortunate that off-duty crew members were present on the flight and immediately took control of the situation, helping to prevent a major tragedy. According to a US defence expert, the flight had nosedived about 17,000 feet in approximately two minutes, a descent that, he said, would be extraordinary even for an Air Force aircraft. Stabilising the flight and landing safely was nothing short of a miracle, he said.

Aviation experts now feel that airlines across the globe, while recruiting pilots, should not stop the vetting process after recruitment. Pilots should undergo extensive background checks as well as continuing medical and psychological assessments. All airlines should have complete information about a pilot’s previous employment, medical, psychological and security history and should introduce stricter security checks to ensure that pilots cannot even carry a pocket knife. Pilots and all crew members should be subject to continuous security monitoring.

After the 9/11 attacks, airlines made flight decks highly secure against external attacks. But with a new threat originating from someone already inside the cockpit, there is a need for a serious relook at the security measures required to prevent such incidents in the future.

Airlines will now have to examine how to provide a better communication system between cockpit and cabin crew so that rapid action can be taken in the event of such an emergency. There should also be a provision to transfer control to another qualified pilot. The question then is whether an aircraft should have three pilots instead of two. There should also be controlled access to the cockpit during an emergency.

Airlines should work out stricter procedures for cabin crew and pilots. It is equally important to assess what objects inside an aircraft could potentially be converted into weapons. Perhaps the concept of trusted employees will also have to be re-examined.

Perhaps airlines will have to focus on providing additional specialised training to cabin crew to deal with an emergency cockpit assault and neutralise an attacker. Existing airport security measures may not suffice. Interestingly, Israel has already announced that it will increase security checks on pilots flying into the country following the incident.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Gowri V

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A Journey of Three Decades Time passes faster than we realise. What feels like a journey that began only yesterday has today grown into more than three decades of a meaningful and fulfilling life devoted to education, journalism, and the empowerment of young minds. My professional journey began with journalism training in New Delhi in 1979. I went on to work as an independent journalist, drawing on my fluency in both English and Telugu. Over the years, I have edited and worked on Telugu articles in both languages, an experience that strengthened my command of language and sharpened my understanding of society, people, and contemporary issues. Yet, my principal profession and enduring passion have always been teaching. My decision to become a teacher was not merely a career choice—it was a calling. Teaching offered me the rare privilege of inspiring young minds, guiding them through their formative years, and making a lasting difference in their lives. I found immense satisfaction in simplifying complex concepts, nurturing curiosity, encouraging independent thought, and building confidence among students. Every moment in the classroom—every question, every moment of discovery, and every spark of understanding—reminded me why I had chosen this path: to empower young people through knowledge, values, and essential life skills. My teaching career began at the grassroots level as a Montessori teacher and gradually progressed to the position of Vice Principal. I had the opportunity to work in reputed educational institutions, including Dilsukhnagar Public School in Hyderabad, where I shouldered both teaching and administrative responsibilities. Although I have always considered myself, at heart, a teacher, my administrative experience enabled me to understand and contribute to the education system from a much broader perspective. For my students, I have always tried to be an approachable and dependable presence—someone they could turn to not only for academic support, but also for guidance and emotional encouragement. At the same time, I developed a reputation as a firm disciplinarian who believed that integrity, fairness, responsibility, and discipline were fundamental to education. I was also consistently appreciated for maintaining clear communication with parents and staff and for ensuring that examinations and other academic processes were conducted with transparency, fairness, and efficiency. As my career progressed, however, I began to feel that academic education alone was not enough. This realization led me to work more closely with students following the SSC and CBSE curricula, while consciously bringing life-skills education into my teaching. I came to understand that education becomes truly meaningful when it prepares children not merely to pass examinations, but to face life. Teaching emotional resilience, self-reliance, social awareness, communication, decision-making, and other practical life skills often had a deeper and more lasting impact than academic achievement alone. I saw how these skills could help students navigate challenges with greater confidence, maturity, and responsibility. My academic background provided a strong foundation for this approach. My degree in Psychology from the University of Madras helped me develop a deeper understanding of young people's minds, their emotional needs, and the influence of their family and social environments. My M.A. in Telugu with First Class from Osmania University.

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