A Royal Jordanian pilot reportedly used the PA system while flying over Israel to announce that passengers were flying over “Palestinian lands” and that Jerusalem is the “eternal capital of Palestine.” Whatever your politics, this is not what passengers need from the cockpit, even on an Arab carrier.
As flagged by View From The Wing, the pilot addressed passengers in both Arabic and English while the aircraft was passing through Israeli airspace, telling them they were flying over “Palestinian lands” and inviting passengers on the left side of the aircraft to look out at Jerusalem, which he described as the “eternal capital of Palestine.” The pilot also pointed out Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Dome of the Rock, Haram al-Sharif, and Bethlehem.
Unsurprisingly, reaction in Israel has been heated. An Israeli Knesset member reportedly asked Israel’s Civil Aviation Authority to seek an explanation from Royal Jordanian and consider regulatory action. Royal Jordanian has not operated regular Amman–Tel Aviv service since the October 7th attacks, but its aircraft still overfly Israeli airspace on routes to Europe, North America, and elsewhere.
A great solo travel tip spotted this week on Live and Let's Fly.
