Captain Smit Machchhar has been receiving widespread international praise and honours for his extraordinary bravery in thwarting an in-flight attack aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073. PM Narendra Modi hailed Smit as a “hero,” commending his immense courage, composure and presence of mind that saved 174 lives. While several Bollywood personalities have been showering with Smit with praises, the latest one to join the bandwagon is Salman Khan.

Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar

— Salman Khan (@BeingSalmanKhan) October 2, 2026

Salman Khan lauded flydubai pilot and Captain Smit Machchhar for demonstrating remarkable resilience and bravery amid a mid-air emergency on Saturday morning. The superstar took to his social media handle and praised the pilot for his level-headedness and conduct during the Flight FZ1073 incident.  Salman stated that the pilot deserved the acknowledgement and appreciation for how he managed the situation. The actor also expressed that it would be a pleasure to fly with him. The actor tweeted, “Kamaal kar diya pilot ji, hum sab aap ko salute karte hain will be a pleasure to fly with u.. Well done bro.. Capt #SmitMachchhar.” Salman’s post came after Captain Machchhar resisted an attacker even though he had sustained serious injuries during the September 30 incident.

On September 30, in a flight travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, passenger security came under the scanner when an Omani co-pilot stabbed Captain Smit Machchhar in what appeared to be a terror-motivated effort to bring the plane down. The confrontation mid-air in the cockpit resulted in sending the flight down by nearly 16,000 feet in just two minutes. Despite serious injuries, Machchhar displayed remarkable resilience and bravery in preventing a major aviation disaster. The flight eventually went for a safe landing in Tabuk (Saudi Arabia).