Why were 4 pilots aboard flydubai flight 1073?

Flydubai flight 1073—flying from Dubai to Tel Aviv—carried four pilots, despite most airlines not staffing short routes with backup flight crews as a routine precaution because it’s costly. The issue came into focus after a co-pilot stabbed the captain. Two pilots seated in the cabin then took control of the Boeing 737 Max 8 and safely landed the aircraft in Saudi Arabia. Investigators and aviation experts said the presence of spare pilots can make sense in tense regions, but there was no indication of prior security warnings tied to this specific flight. The report also notes pilots commonly “deadhead” on flights to position themselves for their next assignment.