40 years, two aviation heroes: From Neerja Bhanot to Smit Machchhar

The stories of Neerja Bhanot and Captain Smit Machchhar are separated by 40 years. Their emergencies were completely different, but both show how decisions made inside an aircraft can change what happens to everyone on board.

In 1986, Neerja Bhanot was working as a senior purser of Pan Am Flight 73 that got hijacked by four gunmen at Karachi airport. In 2026, Smit Machchhar faced a crisis on board of Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

One case concerns an external threat, while the other centers around an internal problem. Both individuals paid a heavy price for their brave actions.

Two emergencies, two hijacks

It was 5 September 1986, and Pan Am Flight 73 was on a routine flight from Delhi to New York when it arrived at Karachi airport with a short stopover. While on the ground, the plane was hijacked by four gunmen of the Abu Nidal Organization, according to the Pan Am Historical Foundation.

As the flight attendants and pilots discussed the situation, the terrorists forced them to leave the plane and, in particular, the cockpit. Subsequently, Neerja Bhanot helped the pilots to exit the plane as well, essentially rendering it unusable for the hijackers. She also played a major role in securing the passports of the passengers, while her crew and she managed to save the majority of the 379 people on board, despite 20 people dead and more than a hundred injured. Unfortunately, Bhanot died from her injuries after helping others to exit the plane through an emergency exit. In 1987, she was posthumously awarded the Ashoka Chakra, India’s highest peacetime award for valor, becoming the first female recipient in the award’s history.

Meanwhile, almost exactly 40 years later, a different tragedy befell a commercial airplane.

On 30 September 2026, Flydubai Flight FZ1073 originating from Dubai was heading to Tel Aviv when, according to Reuters news agency, the co-pilot of the Boeing 737 MAX intentionally injured his captain and was about to finish off his other colleague when he lost control of the plane. Nevertheless, the captain managed to open the cockpit door and was assisted by the passengers and crew of the plane to subdue the rogue pilot. Moreover, as Reuters further notes, two other pilots who happened to be on board of FZ1073 managed to land the aircraft in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, with all 174 passengers and crew safely evacuated. However, the captain required hospitalization due to the grievous injuries inflicted upon him by the co-pilot. Nevertheless, the reason for the attack is still unclear, as the flydubai airline released a statement noting that the matter was under investigation.

The similarity is not only in “a hero”

Both tragedies could be summarized in one sentence extolling the virtues of the exceptional individuals who helped to resolve the emergency. However, it is more interesting to focus on the similarities between the two problems.

In the case of Pan Am Flight 73, the emergency began when the hijackers tried to take control of the airplane. However, the most crucial factor was that the terrorists were unable to reach the cockpit, which in turn made them ineffective in exerting control over the flight.

On the other hand, the crisis began when the co-pilot of Flydubai Flight FZ073 deliberately injured his captain and, presumably, the other pilot before losing control of the plane. Essentially, the emergency arose from the fact that the rogue pilot attempted to kill his colleagues and take over the plane. In both situations, the emergency procedures involved the access to the cockpit, which is why both the captain and the senior purser played such a big role in resolving the crisis.

Neither of these aircraft was saved by one individual

Another similarity concerns the fact that both emergencies were resolved due to the combined effort of various individuals.

While the incident involving Neerja Bhanot is largely remembered and celebrated for her heroic actions, it is important to note that the Pan Am Historical Foundation highlights the role of the entire crew and passengers of the aircraft. Specifically, the combined effort of these people managed to prevent the hijackers from utilizing the plane as a weapon and saved the majority of those on board. Similarly, even though it is Smit Machchhar who opened the cockpit door, it was the combined effort of the passengers, crew, and two other pilots that managed to subdue the attacker and land the plane in Tabuk. In fact, several reports note that a group of passengers stood at the front of the plane to confront the rogue pilot.

As a result, both emergencies are remembered for the heroic actions of several individuals, rather than one.

The door becomes the centrepiece

It is this observation that leads to the most interesting conclusion.

In 1986, the terrorists were unable to reach the cockpit, which in turn made them ineffective in carrying out their demands. Essentially, the inability to access the cockpit negated the very possibility of the hijacking being successful in terms of the hijackers’ original intentions. On the other hand, in 2026, the rogue pilot took advantage of his knowledge of the emergency procedures and deliberately injured his colleagues before attempting to take over the plane. As a result, the captain and two other pilots managed to subdue him with the help of the passengers.

Ultimately, the difference between the two cases lies in the fact that one concerns an external conflict, while the other is an example of an internal one. Although Bhanot died because of the hijackers, Machchhar survived the rogue pilot. There is little doubt that both emergencies were extremely severe and impactful. Nonetheless, 40 years later, the similar tragedy occurred, and the procedures, protocols, and technology are already in place to prevent such emergencies in the future. All the same, when such situations emerge, the actions of individuals are often the only factor that determines the outcome.