Flydubai extends suspension of flights to Israel until mid-December, the route to Dubai is grounded

Flydubai extends the cancellation of flights on the Dubai-Ben Gurion route until December 15, 2026, following an attempted hijacking in September. The route has been suspended for about a month and a half; Etihad Airways continues to operate flights from Abu Dhabi.

The Emirati airline Flydubai is extending the cancellation of flights on the route between Dubai and Ben Gurion Airport until December 15, 2026. This means the direct air link between Israel and Dubai will be inactive for about a month and a half. Flydubai suspended its flights to Israel on September 30, following an attempted hijacking of a plane on a flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv and an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia. The company announced it would suspend operations until the completion of inspections and the investigation. Meanwhile, the direct air link between Israel and the United Arab Emirates is mainly maintained by Etihad Airways, which operates flights between Abu Dhabi and Ben Gurion. The codeshare flights of Emirates and Flydubai are not active. Israeli airlines are also expected to join the route to Abu Dhabi soon, but the route to Dubai remains inactive.