Major Israeli airlines, including El Al, Israir, and Arkia, announced that they are planning to resume their flights to Dubai after a serious incident occurred on a Flydubai flight from Tel Aviv to Dubai. This incident has been described as an unsuccessful attempt to crash the Flydubai flight into Tel Aviv.
Dubai's Role in Israeli Air Travel
Since the signing of the Abraham Accords in 2020, Dubai has become one of the most popular travel destinations for Israelis. The United Arab Emirates accounted for approximately 8.3 percent of all passengers at Ben Gurion International Airport in 2025, with 1.5 million travelers, ranking just behind Greece and the United States.
Permission to Resume Flights
Israeli security officials halted flights by Israeli airlines to the UAE since the onset of the war with Iran in late February. However, in the first eight months of 2026, 837,000 passengers, equivalent to 7.5 percent of all passengers at Ben Gurion Airport, traveled to Dubai, half of whom used Flydubai services.
El Al has announced its intention to resume flights to Dubai with at least two daily flights starting in November, pending the necessary permits from the relevant authorities. Additionally, Israir aims to establish up to 10 weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai, while Arkia has stated that it will resume its flights as soon as operational and logistical preparations are complete.
A senior Israeli security official stated that negotiations with Emirati counterparts are ongoing, and there is hope for a final approval to resume flights soon.
The incident on Wednesday involved a Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where a co-pilot attacked the captain, posing a serious threat, but the captain managed to open the cockpit door so that passengers could subdue the attacker.
Flydubai has suspended its flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, and the Israeli Ministry of Transportation has announced that this suspension aligns with the Prime Minister's directive and the recommendations of the Minister of Transportation and the head of the Shin Bet.
El Al, Israir, and Arkia plan to conduct rescue flights from Dubai starting Friday to bring back stranded passengers, which will also depend on approval from security officials and an agreement on government compensation.
The Ministry of Transportation has also urgently requested Etihad Airways to increase the number of flights between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.
