Would have needed real courage": Spicejet CMD Ajay Singh hails Capt Machhchar for effort in saving lives on flydubai flight

As survivors of a terrifying mid-air hijack attempt landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, SpiceJet’s chairman and managing director Ajay Singh praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for helping save lives aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073. Singh said Machchhar, a seasoned UAE-based Flydubai captain with more than 13 years of commercial aviation experience and 9,750 total flying hours—primarily on Boeing 737 aircraft—was forced to respond after an alleged stabbing by his co-pilot. He described how Machchhar opened the cockpit door to let passengers and other crew intervene, and noted that the door handle unlocking mechanism is on the co-pilot’s side. Singh said this likely required “real courage.”