Foreign criminal proceedings against airline pilots – lessons from a Kazakhstan case
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 5
From: Kazakhstan
Foreign criminal proceedings against airline pilots – lessons from a Kazakhstan case
Foreign criminal proceedings against airline pilots – lessons from a Kazakhstan case
I wanted to raise something that I think should worry anyone who flies for a living, especially those of us operating regularly into states with a poor rule-of-law record.
There is a case of a British long-haul captain who was arrested and convicted in Kazakhstan after a family tragedy down-route., The Case of Airbus A330 Captain Mohamed Barakat , the basic outline is:
He was overnighting in a major city on a company trip.
A domestic incident in the hotel ended with his young child’s death.
He was arrested on the spot, held in pre-trial detention and later sentenced to a very long prison term.
Subsequent evidence and statements have raised serious questions about the investigation, forensic work, and whether the right person was convicted at all.
Despite this, the local system has closed ranks, and the case is effectively stuck.
Kazakhstan, like a number of other states we fly into, is regularly described by international organisations as authoritarian, with systemic corruption and weak judicial independence. That means once you are in the system there, you may not get the sort of process you’d assume exists in Europe or other rule-of-law jurisdictions.
For me, this raises some uncomfortable questions for all pilots and aircrew:
How vulnerable are we personally when we night-stop in countries with authoritarian governments?
It’s easy to imagine being caught up in a hotel incident, traffic accident, or allegation where “foreign crew with money” become an easy target.
What realistically happens if you’re arrested abroad?
Consular help is very limited in practice – they don’t investigate, don’t run your defence, and can’t force the local authorities to do anything. You can easily end up alone in a foreign legal system you don’t understand, with language barriers and no independent oversight.
Are our employers and unions doing enough?
Many of us assume the company, BALPA/IFALPA, or equivalent will step in if things go badly wrong. In cases like this, support has been patchy at best.
If a senior, experienced captain can end up serving decades in a foreign prison after a highly questionable process, it shows how exposed any of us could be when operating into similar environments.
I’d really appreciate views from colleagues on a few points:
1. Do your airlines or unions provide clear, practical guidance on what to do if you are detained or questioned by police abroad?
2. Have any of you seen good examples of collective action by crew (e.g. unions, associations, company policies) that offer real protection in these situations?
3. What practical steps should pilots and cabin crew be taking personally when operating into countries with high corruption and weak courts (insurance, legal contacts, union registrations, buddy systems, etc.)?
4. Is there anything the wider pilot community could realistically do – through IFALPA, national associations, or companies – to push for better safeguards for crew in such states?
I’m posting this partly as a warning, but also because I think the profession needs to talk about it. We spend our careers flying in and out of jurisdictions where, if something goes wrong on the ground, your licence, liberty and family life may depend on forces completely outside your control.
Interested to hear how others see this, and any ideas on how crews can stick together to reduce the risk of one of us ending up in this kind of situation.
I wanted to raise something that I think should worry anyone who flies for a living, especially those of us operating regularly into states with a poor rule-of-law record.
There is a case of a British long-haul captain who was arrested and convicted in Kazakhstan after a family tragedy down-route., The Case of Airbus A330 Captain Mohamed Barakat , the basic outline is:
He was overnighting in a major city on a company trip.
A domestic incident in the hotel ended with his young child’s death.
He was arrested on the spot, held in pre-trial detention and later sentenced to a very long prison term.
Subsequent evidence and statements have raised serious questions about the investigation, forensic work, and whether the right person was convicted at all.
Despite this, the local system has closed ranks, and the case is effectively stuck.
Kazakhstan, like a number of other states we fly into, is regularly described by international organisations as authoritarian, with systemic corruption and weak judicial independence. That means once you are in the system there, you may not get the sort of process you’d assume exists in Europe or other rule-of-law jurisdictions.
For me, this raises some uncomfortable questions for all pilots and aircrew:
How vulnerable are we personally when we night-stop in countries with authoritarian governments?
It’s easy to imagine being caught up in a hotel incident, traffic accident, or allegation where “foreign crew with money” become an easy target.
What realistically happens if you’re arrested abroad?
Consular help is very limited in practice – they don’t investigate, don’t run your defence, and can’t force the local authorities to do anything. You can easily end up alone in a foreign legal system you don’t understand, with language barriers and no independent oversight.
Are our employers and unions doing enough?
Many of us assume the company, BALPA/IFALPA, or equivalent will step in if things go badly wrong. In cases like this, support has been patchy at best.
If a senior, experienced captain can end up serving decades in a foreign prison after a highly questionable process, it shows how exposed any of us could be when operating into similar environments.
I’d really appreciate views from colleagues on a few points:
1. Do your airlines or unions provide clear, practical guidance on what to do if you are detained or questioned by police abroad?
2. Have any of you seen good examples of collective action by crew (e.g. unions, associations, company policies) that offer real protection in these situations?
3. What practical steps should pilots and cabin crew be taking personally when operating into countries with high corruption and weak courts (insurance, legal contacts, union registrations, buddy systems, etc.)?
4. Is there anything the wider pilot community could realistically do – through IFALPA, national associations, or companies – to push for better safeguards for crew in such states?
I’m posting this partly as a warning, but also because I think the profession needs to talk about it. We spend our careers flying in and out of jurisdictions where, if something goes wrong on the ground, your licence, liberty and family life may depend on forces completely outside your control.
Interested to hear how others see this, and any ideas on how crews can stick together to reduce the risk of one of us ending up in this kind of situation.
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 648
Likes: 74
From: uk
How does the fact that he is a pilot have any relevance?
This could have happened to him on a holiday or if he was a businessman on a work trip.
Whether he is British, a pilot or anything else should not provide greater or lesser sympathy.
Justice miscarriages, if the case, happens all around the world, including Britain.
This could have happened to him on a holiday or if he was a businessman on a work trip.
Whether he is British, a pilot or anything else should not provide greater or lesser sympathy.
Justice miscarriages, if the case, happens all around the world, including Britain.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 5
From: Kazakhstan
How does the fact that he is a pilot have any relevance?
This could have happened to him on a holiday or if he was a businessman on a work trip.
Whether he is British, a pilot or anything else should not provide greater or lesser sympathy.
Justice miscarriages, if the case, happens all around the world, including Britain.
This could have happened to him on a holiday or if he was a businessman on a work trip.
Whether he is British, a pilot or anything else should not provide greater or lesser sympathy.
Justice miscarriages, if the case, happens all around the world, including Britain.
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 5
From: Kazakhstan
I completely agree that nobody should expect immunity from local laws – pilot, tourist or otherwise. That’s not what I’m arguing for. The concern is what happens in countries where there are already serious, well-documented issues around corruption and fair-trial standards, like Kazakhstan. In that situation, wouldn’t you expect your own government and employer at least to step in to insist on basic safeguards – proper forensics, access to a competent lawyer, translations, the right to present evidence, etc.? Targeting of foreign nationals is on the rise in a number of jurisdictions, and without any real backing from your government or company you are completely at the mercy of that system. For crews who only end up in these countries because they’re rostered there for work, I think that’s a legitimate professional concern, not a request for special immunity.
Joined: Aug 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 816
Likes: 230
From: Cyprus
Akula ; Interesting post & question. I guess we, professional Airline pilots, are not regarded any differently, by foreign authorities, to ordinary visitors etc.
I can never recall any formal advice given by my airline ( employed by 7). I can never, through employment, recall any formal advice given by the Foreign Office or Consular Authorities. I was aware of the need to observe local rules and regulations by reading of the handling of other unfortunates in general press and TV reports. Oh, and TV series like the recent airing of the appalling . Nzanin Ratcliffe case.
Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.
informal advice was, of course, legion.
How I ,personally, avoided the occasional flogging in a public square, serious jail time for offending very important people is, frankly, beyond me.
Oh, hang on.........................................for another time capsule...................
I can never recall any formal advice given by my airline ( employed by 7). I can never, through employment, recall any formal advice given by the Foreign Office or Consular Authorities. I was aware of the need to observe local rules and regulations by reading of the handling of other unfortunates in general press and TV reports. Oh, and TV series like the recent airing of the appalling . Nzanin Ratcliffe case.
Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.
informal advice was, of course, legion.
How I ,personally, avoided the occasional flogging in a public square, serious jail time for offending very important people is, frankly, beyond me.
Oh, hang on.........................................for another time capsule...................
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 5
From: Kazakhstan
Akula ; Interesting post & question. I guess we, professional Airline pilots, are not regarded any differently, by foreign authorities, to ordinary visitors etc.
I can never recall any formal advice given by my airline ( employed by 7). I can never, through employment, recall any formal advice given by the Foreign Office or Consular Authorities. I was aware of the need to observe local rules and regulations by reading of the handling of other unfortunates in general press and TV reports. Oh, and TV series like the recent airing of the appalling . Nzanin Ratcliffe case.
Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.
informal advice was, of course, legion.
How I ,personally, avoided the occasional flogging in a public square, serious jail time for offending very important people is, frankly, beyond me.
Oh, hang on.........................................for another time capsule...................
I can never recall any formal advice given by my airline ( employed by 7). I can never, through employment, recall any formal advice given by the Foreign Office or Consular Authorities. I was aware of the need to observe local rules and regulations by reading of the handling of other unfortunates in general press and TV reports. Oh, and TV series like the recent airing of the appalling . Nzanin Ratcliffe case.
Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.
informal advice was, of course, legion.
How I ,personally, avoided the occasional flogging in a public square, serious jail time for offending very important people is, frankly, beyond me.
Oh, hang on.........................................for another time capsule...................
Joined: Sep 2010
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 884
Likes: 233
From: by the seaside
Gordomac
‘Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.’
You obviously weren’t working for BEA at the time where we were all “volunteered” for Belfast with the threat of you won’t get a command if you do not go. Had BALPA force the company to validate our life insurance as we were flying into a War zone and to top it all hid and lied about the bombs found on the Trident or the genuine threats. With the odd case of bully cabin crew to accept wrong bars which had not passed the mandatory security checks.
Back on the subject we had a captain arrested in Anchorage who was dead heading on Alaskan Airlines after the airport was closed to us because of a volcanic eruption. AA hadn’t de iced and the wings were covered with a significant deposit of snow. He pointed this out twice to CC and basically told to shut up..long story short he opened the overwing exit saying he wasn’t staying onboard forcing the aircraft to return to the gate and was arrested and imprisoned.
The Swiss used diplomatic channels to get him released and he was banned from flying stateside.
My next trip I watched one of their aircraft take off and at rotation a cloud of snow blew off the wings.
They seemed to ignore conventional regulations wrt to de icing if it was dry snow on a cold wing!
‘Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.’
You obviously weren’t working for BEA at the time where we were all “volunteered” for Belfast with the threat of you won’t get a command if you do not go. Had BALPA force the company to validate our life insurance as we were flying into a War zone and to top it all hid and lied about the bombs found on the Trident or the genuine threats. With the odd case of bully cabin crew to accept wrong bars which had not passed the mandatory security checks.
Back on the subject we had a captain arrested in Anchorage who was dead heading on Alaskan Airlines after the airport was closed to us because of a volcanic eruption. AA hadn’t de iced and the wings were covered with a significant deposit of snow. He pointed this out twice to CC and basically told to shut up..long story short he opened the overwing exit saying he wasn’t staying onboard forcing the aircraft to return to the gate and was arrested and imprisoned.
The Swiss used diplomatic channels to get him released and he was banned from flying stateside.
My next trip I watched one of their aircraft take off and at rotation a cloud of snow blew off the wings.
They seemed to ignore conventional regulations wrt to de icing if it was dry snow on a cold wing!
Thread Starter
Joined: Nov 2025
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 6
Likes: 5
From: Kazakhstan
Gordomac
‘Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.’
You obviously weren’t working for BEA at the time where we were all “volunteered” for Belfast with the threat of you won’t get a command if you do not go. Had BALPA force the company to validate our life insurance as we were flying into a War zone and to top it all hid and lied about the bombs found on the Trident or the genuine threats. With the odd case of bully cabin crew to accept wrong bars which had not passed the mandatory security checks.
Back on the subject we had a captain arrested in Anchorage who was dead heading on Alaskan Airlines after the airport was closed to us because of a volcanic eruption. AA hadn’t de iced and the wings were covered with a significant deposit of snow. He pointed this out twice to CC and basically told to shut up..long story short he opened the overwing exit saying he wasn’t staying onboard forcing the aircraft to return to the gate and was arrested and imprisoned.
The Swiss used diplomatic channels to get him released and he was banned from flying stateside.
My next trip I watched one of their aircraft take off and at rotation a cloud of snow blew off the wings.
They seemed to ignore conventional regulations wrt to de icing if it was dry snow on a cold wing!
‘Indeed, only one one employer, at the height of the UK/Irish troubles was so concerned by the Belfast Crew Cafe bombing that they told us to avoid leaving the aircraft during extended turn-rounds and then, followed by asking for Volunteers for the turn-round sked.’
You obviously weren’t working for BEA at the time where we were all “volunteered” for Belfast with the threat of you won’t get a command if you do not go. Had BALPA force the company to validate our life insurance as we were flying into a War zone and to top it all hid and lied about the bombs found on the Trident or the genuine threats. With the odd case of bully cabin crew to accept wrong bars which had not passed the mandatory security checks.
Back on the subject we had a captain arrested in Anchorage who was dead heading on Alaskan Airlines after the airport was closed to us because of a volcanic eruption. AA hadn’t de iced and the wings were covered with a significant deposit of snow. He pointed this out twice to CC and basically told to shut up..long story short he opened the overwing exit saying he wasn’t staying onboard forcing the aircraft to return to the gate and was arrested and imprisoned.
The Swiss used diplomatic channels to get him released and he was banned from flying stateside.
My next trip I watched one of their aircraft take off and at rotation a cloud of snow blew off the wings.
They seemed to ignore conventional regulations wrt to de icing if it was dry snow on a cold wing!
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 385
Local laws apply, no surprise.
Concerning government advice on security, all big airlines flight operation centres have permanent contact to their governments. This typically includes scheduling crews that accept certain elevated level conditions different routings around hot areas and more.
Concerning government advice on security, all big airlines flight operation centres have permanent contact to their governments. This typically includes scheduling crews that accept certain elevated level conditions different routings around hot areas and more.
Joined: Sep 2010
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 884
Likes: 233
From: by the seaside
Local laws apply, no surprise.
Concerning government advice on security, all big airlines flight operation centres have permanent contact to their governments. This typically includes scheduling crews that accept certain elevated level conditions different routings around hot areas and more.
Concerning government advice on security, all big airlines flight operation centres have permanent contact to their governments. This typically includes scheduling crews that accept certain elevated level conditions different routings around hot areas and more.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 1,761
Likes: 385
I know a big airline from the continent that recently had its South Africa flights take a long and expensive detour around the entire African west coast to bypass any conflict area instead of passing the Middle East and northeastern Africa.
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 427
Likes: 12
From: Dublin
Joined: Dec 2020
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 179
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From: Amsterdam
Joined: Dec 1999
Posts: 1,171
Likes: 119
From: uk
Why is it a stupid question? The OP describes him as British, all the press releases describe him as British.
You seem to doubt that:
‘British called Mohamed Barakat? Can you confirm that?’
‘First you insult me by claiming he is BRITISH’
You seem to doubt that:
‘British called Mohamed Barakat? Can you confirm that?’
‘First you insult me by claiming he is BRITISH’
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 149
Likes: 67
From: Toronto, Canada
Joined: Aug 2007
Aviation Qualifications: ATPL
Posts: 816
Likes: 230
From: Cyprus
Drifting quite a bit off thread but Akula makes, succinctly, the point that there is probably a greater need for Operators to formally remind pilots of the need to be very aware of local laws and restrictions. Moreover, of the very considerable lack of support that would be forthcoming from the Employer ( well, they are not going to do that, are they ?) but more especially, the lack of support from National Foreign Offices.
Few of us missed your point, Akula, but the kind of support you rightly suggest is more than a dream away for us ordinary airframe drivers.
You are not suggesting it,I know, but full diplomatic immunity and full consular support would be fabbo , eh ?
Without it, knowing it, I have reigned in, a few times, just. Close call though but it goes with the territory,I guess.
Few of us missed your point, Akula, but the kind of support you rightly suggest is more than a dream away for us ordinary airframe drivers.
You are not suggesting it,I know, but full diplomatic immunity and full consular support would be fabbo , eh ?
Without it, knowing it, I have reigned in, a few times, just. Close call though but it goes with the territory,I guess.