Flydubai pilot Smit Machchhar’s old podcast resurfaces after mid-air emergency: ‘Focus on flying, not selfies’

An old podcast featuring Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has resurfaced after his role in the flydubai cockpit emergency. Months earlier, he had urged young pilots to prioritise experience and skills over chasing airlines, aircraft or an online image.

An old podcast featuring Indian pilot Smit Machchhar has gone viral after the Indian flydubai captain was identified as the pilot involved in a dramatic mid-air emergency on September 30.

What has caught fresh attention is Machchhar’s advice to young pilots in the conversation: focus on flying, gaining experience and refining skills rather than worrying about appearances on social media.

Smit Machchhar on skills over ‘selfies’

In the podcast, Machchhar spoke about how aspiring pilots should approach the early stages of their careers. Rather than developing preferences for a particular airline or aircraft, he advised young pilots to focus on building experience.

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Smit Machchhar advised aspiring pilots to focus on gaining experience and refining their skills rather than developing preferences for specific airlines or worrying about their online image.

During the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, Captain Smit Machchhar was stabbed by the co-pilot during a confrontation inside the cockpit. This led to a rapid descent and an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Despite his injuries, Captain Machchhar managed to unlock the cockpit door, which allowed passengers and crew to intervene and help subdue the co-pilot.

The podcast is receiving renewed attention because Machchhar's emphasis on the importance of experience and skill development for pilots is seen in the context of the crisis he faced during the emergency.

Smit Machchhar highlighted the importance of cabin crew during emergencies, stating that while they are not trained for surgeries, they can save lives and are crucial when situations go wrong.

“And I always suggest to my kids as well; you know, at first don’t have preferences. No, I want to fly from here. Like, no. Fly. For a pilot to gain that experience and to refine your skills is what a pilot is. Not to post something online, you know. Selfie and all. This has changed so much,” Machchhar said.

The comments have gained renewed attention after the flydubai emergency, with his emphasis on experience and skill development being viewed in the context of the crisis he subsequently faced.

‘When things are going wrong, you need them’

Machchhar had also spoken about the role of cabin crew and their importance during emergencies.

“It is unfortunate how the entire outlook of people is there toward the crew, but when things are going wrong, you need them,” he added.

In another part of the conversation, he discussed the value of having trained professionals on board when an in-flight emergency occurs.

“I'm not saying they're trained to do surgeries and stuff, but then, they can save your life, you know?” the 50-year-old Mumbai native said.

What happened on the flydubai flight?

Machchhar was the captain of flydubai Flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv when a violent confrontation occurred inside the cockpit.

According to reports, Machchhar was injured during the incident but managed to open the cockpit door, allowing passengers and crew to intervene. The aircraft was subsequently diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely. Reuters reported that Machchhar later described the incident during a video call with Prime Minister Narendra Modi from his hospital bed.

The resurfaced podcast has since drawn attention to Machchhar’s earlier message: that for pilots, experience, training and the ability to refine their skills matter more than an online image.

About the Author

Anjali Thakur is a Senior Assistant Editor with Mint, reporting on trending news, entertainment and health, with a focus on stories driving digital conversations. Her work involves spotting early signals across news cycles and social media, sharpening stories for SEO and Google Discover, and mentoring young editors in digital-first newsroom practices. She is known for turning fast-moving developments—whether news-driven or culture-led—into clear, tightly edited journalism without compromising editorial rigour.<br><br> Before joining Mint, she was Deputy News Editor at NDTV.com, where she led the Trending section and covered viral news, breaking developments and human-interest stories. She has also worked as Chief Sub-Editor at India.com (Zee Media) and as Senior Correspondent with Exchange4media and Hindustan Times’ HT City, reporting on media, advertising, entertainment, health, lifestyle and popular culture.<br><br> Anjali holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Miranda House, and is currently pursuing an MBA, strengthening her understanding of business strategy and digital media economics. Her writing balances newsroom discipline with a clear instinct for what resonates with readers.

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