El Al cancels flights to repatriate Israelis from Dubai after Flydubai’s suspension

OCCUPIED AL-QUDS, Oct. 02 (YPA) – Israeli airline El Al announced on Friday the cancellation of special flights scheduled to repatriate Israelis stranded in Dubai, after Flydubai suspended its flights to and from Tel Aviv.

An El Al spokeswoman told AFP that Friday’s flights were canceled without specifying a new date, while the Israeli Ministry of Transport explained that the company had not yet received approval from the UAE to operate the flights.

El Al had announced on Thursday its intention to operate two special flights after Flydubai’s decision to temporarily suspend its flights following an incident on Wednesday on flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, where an altercation in the cockpit prompted the crew to change course and make an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai confirmed that the suspension came in coordination with the relevant authorities until the investigations are completed, while a number of Israelis remain stranded in Dubai.