Israeli airlines are set to commence repatriation flights from Dubai to bring home Israeli citizens left stranded in the United Arab Emirates. This move comes after flydubai suspended its services to Israel following an incident where a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia due to an alleged altercation between the copilot and the pilot. UAE authorities are currently investigating the matter.
To address the situation, El Al, Arkia, and Israir will operate special flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai without passengers and return with Israelis who were scheduled to fly back via flydubai or Emirates. The Israeli government will compensate these airlines for the outbound flights that will carry no passengers.
El Al plans to operate two flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Friday, while Arkia has scheduled one flight. Israir is also preparing to offer additional services. The airlines have set one-way fares at $249 for El Al, $279 for Arkia, and $299 for Israir, following government instructions to maintain reasonable pricing.
Additionally, Israel’s Transportation Ministry has requested more flights from Etihad Airways between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv to assist in bringing stranded passengers back to Israel. For those unable to return via Dubai, alternative routes are being provided through European destinations and nearby hubs like Athens and Larnaca, although some travelers may need to arrange separate onward flights to Israel.