Airline pilots worried about flying in the Middle East amid the Iran conflict have told a global pilots’ union that they fear consequences such as pay cuts or even dismissal if they refuse assignments, according to its president, Ron Hay.

The head of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations said pilots from countries including Lebanon and India have expressed “widespread” concern that they could be penalized for avoiding flights in volatile conditions, where airspace can be closed with little warning due to missile or drone activity, according to Reuters.

“There is an underlying fear of retribution,” Hay said.

His comments come as some Middle Eastern airlines resume flights even as a two-week ceasefire announced on Tuesday faces ongoing challenges due to continued attacks.
Hay, a Delta Air Lines captain, said some pilots fear losing their jobs.

For others, he added, “they may not lose their job, but managers may say, ‘Don’t fly the trip and you don’t get paid for it.’”

He declined to name the airlines involved but said they were examples of poor safety culture, where pilots are not encouraged to speak up about concerns.

“That’s been lacking in the Middle East region for quite some time and it’s just been exacerbated by this conflict,” Hay said.

Montreal-based IFALPA has member associations in Bahrain, Egypt, Israel, Kuwait and Lebanon, according to its website.

It does not list member associations among major Gulf carriers in the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, which are not unionized.

Middle Eastern airlines have said they prioritise safety, noting that flights to and from the UAE and Qatar operate through designated air corridors established in coordination with regulators.