Flydubai passengers prepare lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars
Around 100 of the 174 passengers have authorized a steering committee to coordinate compensation claims against the airline, Israel and potentially other parties.
Passengers aboard the harrowing Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv are organizing to file lawsuits seeking hundreds of millions of dollars in compensation from the airline, the State of Israel and other parties. Calcalist has learned that the passengers have appointed a steering committee to coordinate their dealings with the authorities and oversee the effort to pursue legal claims.
Tzvika Manes, CEO of underwriting firm Barak Leumi, who helped subdue the co-pilot during the incident, was appointed head of the steering committee. Its members include Tal Eisenberg, a Singapore-based lawyer, as well as Daniel Schlichter, Itay Perlman and Shir Maor, all of whom were passengers on the flight.
The committee has met with law firms in Israel and is expected to meet with international firms before selecting legal representation for the compensation claims. Approximately 100 of the flight's 174 passengers have submitted powers of attorney authorizing the committee to represent them. The remaining passengers have yet to decide whether to join the group or pursue their claims independently.
Following the meetings with lawyers, the committee plans to present the passengers with preliminary conclusions and recommendations before deciding on the next steps. Potential defendants include Israel's Ministry of Transportation and possibly its Emirati counterpart, as well as equivalent ministries in other countries, given that the passengers included foreign nationals.
The initiative began in a WhatsApp group formed by passengers immediately after the flight landed at Ben Gurion Airport. Around 70 passengers in the group asked Manes, a senior capital markets executive with connections to legal professionals, and one or two other members to lead the effort.
One challenge facing the prospective lawsuit is the unprecedented nature of the incident. The passengers are examining an alleged hijacking attempt in which a struggle between the pilots was followed by the aircraft diving toward the ground, with the co-pilot himself allegedly initiating the attack. A preliminary review conducted with law firms also found that an entire section of the Abraham Accords between Israel and the United Arab Emirates addresses regulations governing flights between the two countries. This has raised questions among the passengers about whether the flight complied with those agreements.
The flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv departed on September 29. During the journey, passenger Tali Manes heard shouting from the cockpit and alerted other Israeli passengers. They witnessed the co-pilot stabbing the captain as the aircraft went into a dive. Passenger Yaniv Hayun helped stabilize the aircraft, while other passengers, including Manes, restrained the attacker and tended to the injured captain.
Another pilot who was traveling on the flight landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia.
