NEWARK (VINnews) – United Airlines has suspended pilot Ibrahim R. Mossallam from active flight duty and removed him from the airline’s flight schedule through at least the end of October while the company conducts a renewed review of his case, according to Israeli journalist Libby Blanca Alon.

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Mossallam will reportedly continue receiving his salary during the suspension and is not expected to operate passenger flights in the near term.

The move comes after reports that two United pilots who were deadheading on a flight operated by Mossallam allegedly gave up their first-class seats and spent the flight in the cockpit because they did not trust him.

Sources also reportedly told Alon that United had sought to terminate Mossallam, but that the pilots’ union blocked the move.

Mossallam, who is reportedly Newark-based, previously drew scrutiny after a social media post about the Oct. 7 Hamas attack on Israel led to his removal from flight duty in 2023.
The latest action is not a termination, and Mossallam could potentially return to active duty once United completes its review.

BREAKING: A new development in the case involving a United Airlines pilot: the airline has decided to suspend Ibrahim Mossallam from active duty and remove him from the flight schedule at least through the end of the month — with pay — while it conducts a renewed review of the matter.

Based on the information, this is not a termination at this stage, but rather a temporary removal from the cockpit. That means Mossallam is not expected to operate passenger flights in the near term, although he could potentially be returned to active duty once the review is completed.

We need to keep the pressure on United Airlines.

Keep contacting the company, keep sending messages, and make your voice heard. A temporary suspension is not enough.

If you believe Ibrahim Mossallam should no longer be employed as a United pilot, tell United directly and demand that they take permanent action.

— Libby Blanca Alon לבי בלנקה אלון (@libby_alon) October 6, 2026