UAE President confers First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai FZ1073 crew

UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan conferred the First Class Order of Zayed II on the flydubai crew of flight FZ1073, including Indian Capt Smit Machchhar. Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Defence, presented the medals and commended the crew's sense of responsibility.

The crew thanked the President. Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Sheikh Ahmed bin Saeed Al Maktoum, who chairs the Dubai Civil Aviation Authority, Dubai Airports, and Emirates Airline and Group, attended.

Key details

• Date of honour: October 27, 2026. Flight: FZ1073, Dubai to Tel Aviv, September 30, 2026, more than 170 people on board.
• The co-pilot, identified by Israeli officials as an Omani national, used a cockpit axe against Capt Machchhar. Machchhar opened the cockpit door. Crew and passengers restrained the co-pilot.
• A second pair of flydubai pilots on board landed the jet in Tabuk. The co-pilot was taken into custody. Machchhar was treated in Tabuk, then moved to Abu Dhabi.
• First Class is the highest tier of the Order of Zayed II, a UAE state civil honour conferred by the President.

As long as you walk out of the aircraft safely, that's what I want.

Why it matters

The UAE's highest Order of Zayed II class went to a flydubai crew after they kept FZ1073 flying long enough for a second pair of company pilots to land it.

What happens next

Capt Machchhar said he wanted everyone to walk off the aircraft. What does flydubai publish next about the Tabuk landing?