El Al cancels Dubai repatriation flights after UAE withholds landing approval
A Flydubai flight diversion led to suspended Tel Aviv service and a dispute over Israeli repatriation flights, with Israeli and Emirati sources giving different accounts of why approval was not granted.
What happened
Flydubai suspended its flights to Tel Aviv at the request of authorities, following an incident involving flight FZ1073 which was diverted on September 30.17
Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said all 172 passengers and crew aboard the diverted flight were safe, and that the flight's captain returned to the UAE after medical clearance.17
El Al announced charter repatriation flights to bring Israelis home, but later said it was forced to cancel them after failing to secure UAE landing approval.256
Other Israeli carriers, Arkia and Israir, said they had the necessary approvals to operate similar UAE flights after El Al's permit was reportedly revoked.9
What's agreed
Reported consistently by outlets in more than one region.
- Flydubai suspended its Tel Aviv service at the request of authorities following the diversion of flight FZ1073.17
- El Al cancelled its planned repatriation flights from Dubai after UAE landing clearance did not come through.56
- Flydubai normally operates a high volume of flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, making it a significant travel link for Israelis.42
Where accounts differ
Each account is attributed to who makes it. We do not judge between them.
Why El Al's repatriation flights did not proceed
Israel transportation ministry, via NDTV
Israel had not yet secured the approval it needed from the UAE to run the flights.5
The Times of Israel, citing a flagship carrier statement
El Al's landing permit was specifically revoked, while other Israeli airlines (Arkia, Israir) said they had the necessary approvals.9
UAE source, via The Jerusalem Post
The UAE agreed to additional security measures, but it was Israel that rejected the UAE's revised Flydubai procedures.3
Characterization of the flights as 'rescue flights'
How it's framed
What each perspective puts first, based on headlines and summaries.
| Perspective | How it reads | What it puts first |
|---|---|---|
| Israeli outletsMiddle East & Turkey | Israeli coverage focuses on the practical impact on Israeli travelers, the cancellation of El Al's flights, and competing claims among Israeli carriers about which had UAE approval.59 | repatriation flights, permit revoked, stranded Israelis |
| Turkish and Russian state-controlled outletsMiddle East & Turkey | Anadolu Agency and TASS, both state-controlled, relay the Flydubai CEO's statements closely, emphasizing passenger safety and the suspension order from authorities, with limited independent framing.17 | authorities' request, passenger safety, CEO statement |
| European and Southeast Asian outletsEurope | Le Monde and Malay Mail report the sequence of events, from Flydubai's suspension to El Al's cancelled charters, with relatively neutral framing of the diversion and its knock-on effects.26 | suspension of connections, cancelled charters, sequence of events |
| US financial/travel pressNorth America | The New York Times frames the story around Flydubai's commercial importance as a travel link for Israelis, rather than the diplomatic or security dispute.4 | commercial route importance, daily flight volume |
| UAE-aligned accountMiddle East & Turkey | A UAE source, cited by The Jerusalem Post, pushes back on Israeli framing of the flights as rescues and points to Israel's rejection of revised security procedures.3 | disputed security procedures, rejection of 'rescue' framing |
What the coverage leaves out
- None of the outlets reviewed described the original cause or details of the incident that led to flight FZ1073 being diverted.
- None of the outlets reviewed reported an official UAE government statement explaining the landing permission dispute, beyond a single unnamed UAE source.
- None of the outlets reviewed specified how many passengers were ultimately affected by El Al's cancelled repatriation flights.
- None of the outlets reviewed clarified what additional security measures were at the center of the disagreement described by the UAE source.
Why it matters
Flydubai had operated up to 10 daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, making it a key travel link for Israelis before the suspension.4
The dispute over landing approvals emerged against a backdrop of competing claims between Israeli carriers, with Arkia and Israir saying they secured approvals that El Al reportedly lost.9
What to watch
- Whether UAE authorities issue an official statement on the landing permission dispute.
- Whether Flydubai resumes Tel Aviv service and under what conditions.
- Whether Arkia or Israir successfully operate the flights El Al was unable to run.
Sources (9)
Every outlet we drew on, grouped by where it is based. Read the originals for the full reporting.
North America
- 4The New York TimesUSPrivate
Europe
- 2Le MondeFRPrivate
Translated from French: Vol Flydubai pour Tel Aviv détourné : la compagnie israélienne El Al annule les vols prévus vendredi pour rapatrier les passagers
Russia & Eurasia
- 1TASSRUState-controlled
Flydubai suspends flights to Tel Aviv at authorities’ request — CEO
Middle East & Turkey
- 3The Jerusalem PostILPrivate
UAE source criticizes Israel's use of 'rescue flights' after flydubai incident
- 7Anadolu AgencyTRState-controlled
Flydubai suspends Tel Aviv flights until further notice at authorities’ request: CEO
- 9The Times of IsraelILPrivate
Arkia, Israir indicate UAE rescue flights are a go after El Al scraps its Friday repatriations
South Asia
- 5NDTVINPrivate
El Al Cancels Dubai Repatriation Flights For Israelis After UAE Pulls Approval
- 8The Economic TimesINPrivate