Passengers who survived a violent mid-air struggle aboard a Flydubai flight bound for Tel Aviv are preparing a coordinated legal campaign that could seek hundreds of millions of dollars from the airline, the State of Israel and other parties. Calcalist has learned that the group has formed a steering committee to manage contact with authorities and lay the groundwork for litigation, a sign that what began as a shared trauma is turning into an organized legal effort spanning multiple jurisdictions.
A Committee Born From Crisis
The effort traces back to a WhatsApp group passengers created the moment their aircraft landed at Ben Gurion Airport. Roughly 70 members of that group asked Tzvika Manes, CEO of underwriting firm Barak Leumi, to help lead the response. Manes had himself taken part in subduing the co-pilot during the episode, and his background in capital markets gave him ready access to legal professionals. He now heads a steering committee that also includes Singapore-based lawyer Tal Eisenberg and fellow passengers Daniel Schlichter, Itay Perlman and Shir Maor.
About 100 of the flight's 174 passengers have already signed powers of attorney authorizing the committee to act on their behalf. The remainder are still weighing whether to join the collective claim or pursue separate action, a decision likely to hinge on which legal strategy the committee ultimately recommends.
Mapping the Legal Terrain
The committee has already held meetings with Israeli law firms and plans further consultations with international counsel before settling on representation. Because the passenger list included foreign nationals, the claims may eventually reach beyond Israeli courts, potentially drawing in transportation ministries in the United Arab Emirates and other countries whose citizens were aboard.
One complication is the sheer novelty of the case. Aviation law has well-established frameworks for mechanical failure, weather incidents and even pilot error, but a scenario in which a co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain, triggering a dive before the aircraft was stabilized and diverted for an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, falls outside the routine categories insurers and courts are used to litigating. Lawyers reviewing the case have also flagged that the Abraham Accords, the 2020 normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE, contain a dedicated section governing flight operations between the two countries. Passengers are now examining whether the flight's conduct met those obligations, a question that could shape which government bodies bear responsibility alongside the airline.
What Happened Aboard the Aircraft
According to passenger accounts, the ordeal began when Tali Manes heard shouting from the cockpit and alerted nearby Israeli travelers. Passengers then witnessed the co-pilot stabbing the captain as the plane entered a dive. Yaniv Hayun is credited with helping stabilize the aircraft, while Manes and others physically restrained the attacker and attended to the wounded captain. A third pilot who happened to be traveling as a passenger ultimately took control and landed the plane safely in Saudi Arabia.
Why the Case Matters Beyond the Cabin
Lawsuits of this scale rarely move quickly, and establishing liability across an airline, a national government and possibly foreign regulators will require untangling overlapping jurisdictions and treaties. Still, the case carries weight beyond the individuals involved. It tests how modern aviation agreements, including politically significant accords like the one between Israel and the UAE, hold up when a flight's basic safety is compromised from within the cockpit itself. The outcome may influence how airlines screen and monitor crew, and how governments assign accountability when diplomatic frameworks intersect with operational safety.