FlyDubai Flight 1073 was carrying four pilots on its journey from Dubai to Tel Aviv. After a co-pilot stabbed the captain, two pilots seated in the cabin took control and safely landed the Boeing 737 Max 8 jet in Saudi Arabia. The extra pilots were likely "deadheading" — traveling on duty to position for their next assignment, according to retired airline captain John Cox. He said: "We move pilots all around the world." Airlines avoid staffing shorter flights with backup crews because pilots are expensive.
Another possibility, aviation experts said, is that FlyDubai needed a second crew for the return leg because the operating crew would have exceeded duty limits. The airline declined to answer questions about the extra pilots. While a 3.5-hour flight would not normally require extras, regional conflicts have created unique scheduling demands for Persian Gulf carriers.
Retired captain Richard Levy praised the crew's heroism, noting it was remarkable the wounded captain unlocked the door and sent an emergency signal while under attack. Sally Leivesley, an aviation security expert, noted that having a backup crew could make sense given regional tensions but saw no signs the off-duty pilots expected the attack.
Source: New York Times Top Stories · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing