Israeli airlines are locked out of the UAE as demand remains strong
Security talks have stalled, leaving Flydubai and Etihad with little direct competition on routes popular with Israeli travelers.
Israeli airlines are facing a further delay in resuming flights to the UAE, with security talks between Israeli and Emirati officials failing to produce an agreement that would allow the routes to reopen.
The suspension, which is officially due to remain in effect until the end of October, is now expected by Israeli airlines to continue at least through November. The main obstacle is the difficulty Israeli security officials are facing in reaching an agreement with their Emirati counterparts over the conditions under which Israeli carriers could resume operations.
The situation has created an unusual imbalance in the market. UAE-based airlines including Flydubai and Etihad continue to operate dozens of flights to Israel each month, many of them carrying Israeli passengers, while Israeli carriers El Al, Israir and Arkia remain unable to operate the same routes.
As a result, Israeli demand for the UAE remains high, but Israeli airlines are unable to compete for that traffic, leaving Emirati carriers with effective control of the market.
Israeli airlines have been barred from flying to the UAE since Operation “Roaring Lion” because of security concerns. The airlines are now waiting for an intergovernmental agreement that would establish the conditions for their return, but the process has stalled.
Airline industry officials argue that the Emirati side has little incentive to accelerate an agreement that would introduce competition for its own carriers. The UAE is a significant tourism destination for Israelis, and before the war, Israeli airlines operated popular routes there.
The prolonged suspension is also creating operational and financial problems for the Israeli carriers. Airlines have had to adjust their aircraft deployment, reassign planes to other destinations and reconsider commercial commitments that had been made around the UAE routes.
The uncertainty is particularly problematic ahead of the winter season. Airlines have already sold tickets and entered into commercial agreements based on the expectation that the routes would resume. If the restrictions continue, they will have to cancel flights and refund customers.
The airlines are therefore seeking a clear framework that would allow them to resume flying under agreed security conditions, rather than an open-ended suspension.
