Guwahati: Air France has confirmed it is complying with new Israeli restrictions barring airline crew members holding the nationality, including dual nationality, of countries without diplomatic relations with Israel, a policy that has raised concerns over possible discrimination.

“Like all airlines, Air France is required to comply with the entry regulations established by the authorities of the countries it serves, both for its customers and employees,” the French carrier told Al Jazeera.

“The staff concerned have been informed of the new regulations implemented by the Israeli authorities for flights to Tel Aviv,” it added.

According to Israeli broadcaster N12, Israel’s Ministry of Transport and Road Safety notified foreign airlines on October 1 that pilots and cabin crew operating flights into Israeli airspace must not hold the nationality or dual nationality of countries that do not maintain diplomatic relations with Israel.

The directive reportedly covers 31 countries, including Pakistan, Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Tunisia and Niger. Many of the countries on the list are Muslim-majority nations.

The restrictions were introduced a day after an Omani co-pilot allegedly attempted to hijack a Flydubai flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on September 30 and crash it into Ben Gurion Airport, according to Emirati and Israeli authorities. The co-pilot is accused of attacking the aircraft’s Indian pilot, who has been recovering in hospital.

The extent to which the directive will affect international airlines remains unclear.

Czech carrier Smartwings confirmed it had received the directive but said it had not affected its operations.

“We received the directive from the Israeli authorities in September 2026. We have carefully reviewed the directive and continue to monitor and comply with all applicable requirements issued by the relevant authorities,” spokeswoman Vladimira Dufkova told Al Jazeera.

“At present, the directive does not have any impact on our operations, crew management procedures, or the deployment of crew members on flights to and from Israel,” she added.

United Airlines said it had nothing to share but did not confirm whether it had received the directive or changed crew assignments.

An internal memo to Air France pilots and cabin crew, seen by French investigative publication Mediapart, reportedly warned that failure to comply could expose both the airline and employees to sanctions. The memo could not be independently verified.

The restrictions have prompted concerns that airlines could face legal challenges in their home countries for treating employees differently on the basis of nationality.

Clara Gandin, a Paris-based lawyer specialising in anti-discrimination law, told Al Jazeera that the rules could conflict with French employment legislation.

“The measure rests on a collective presumption which amounts to a discriminatory bias: Every national of these 31 countries, most of them Arab or Muslim-majority, is treated as a potential security threat,” she said.

Gandin cited Article L1132-1 of the French Labour Code, which prohibits discrimination based on a person’s actual or perceived nationality, particularly in matters involving job assignments, pay and disciplinary measures.

She said the policy could also amount to indirect discrimination based on origin and potentially perceived religion, given the composition of the list of affected countries.

However, Israel’s authority to regulate access to its territory and airspace raises a separate legal question from the obligations airlines face under the employment laws of their home countries.

Vincent Correia, a professor of air law at McGill University in Canada, said international aviation law recognises a state’s sovereignty over its territorial airspace. He also cited Article 13 of the 1944 Chicago Convention, which allows countries to enforce rules governing the admission of passengers and crew.

Correia said crew members from countries without diplomatic relations with Israel were already barred from flying there, making the new directive particularly relevant to employees holding dual nationality.

Gandin, however, said a country’s authority to impose entry restrictions did not automatically exempt airlines from their obligations under domestic law.

She said Air France could consider suspending routes affected by the restrictions or challenge the directive through the French government, the French Civil Aviation Authority or the European Union.

Affected employees could seek damages, while trade unions could pursue legal action, she added. Gandin also raised concerns about data protection if airlines collected employees’ nationality information without a direct and necessary link to their work.

According to Mediapart, Air France had considered asking crew members to voluntarily disclose whether they were affected by the directive. The Alter union, which represents flight deck crew, reportedly persuaded management not to proceed, arguing that the measure would constitute discrimination based on nationality.

The broader implications for international aviation remain uncertain. Correia warned that similar restrictions introduced by other countries could complicate crew scheduling and airline operations.