Israeli airlines prepare to return stranded passengers from Dubai after Flydubai suspension
El Al, Israir and Arkia are preparing flights as Israel and the UAE work on security arrangements for the route.
Following the suspension of Flydubai flights pending an investigation into Wednesday’s incident, the Civil Aviation Authority has asked Israeli airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia to prepare to repatriate thousands of Israelis stranded in Dubai. El Al is expected to announce a flight shortly, Israir is awaiting approvals, and Arkia is preparing to operate flights over the weekend.
Since Operation "Roaring Lion," the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) has barred Israeli airlines from flying to Dubai. However, following the incident, the UAE expressed a willingness to meet the security requirements needed to allow Israeli airlines to resume flights. The understanding was reached between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, alongside Israel's decision to suspend Flydubai's operations in the country. The move reflects an understanding that the serious incident cannot be ignored and that the circumstances must be investigated before Flydubai is allowed to resume its scheduled flights to Israel.
Nevertheless, Israeli airlines have yet to receive formal approval to resume flights to Dubai and are awaiting the conclusion of the process.
The main obstacle at this stage is Shin Bet approval. Aviation industry sources said Emirates has expressed a willingness to meet the required security measures, but the Shin Bet is not expected to approve the resumption of flights until those measures have been implemented on the ground.
The dispute between the Transportation Ministry and the Shin Bet is also a factor. The ministry has spent months pushing for Israeli airlines to be allowed to resume flights to Dubai, while the Shin Bet has resisted relaxing the existing security requirements. The latest incident has further heightened scrutiny of security arrangements surrounding flights between Israel and the UAE.
Once approval is granted, the operation will fall under the Transportation Ministry's responsibility, although a decision on how the flights will be funded has yet to be made. The situation is complicated by the fact that many of the stranded passengers already hold tickets for Flydubai flights and will now need to travel on other carriers.
Flydubai is considered financially strong, and Emirati authorities have previously funded rescue flights for Israelis stranded in Dubai during Israeli military operations involving Iran. It is possible that they will do so again in the current situation.
