Israel Demands Flydubai Flights Halted After Alleged Terror Attempt

Israeli Transportation Minister Miri Regev has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to immediately suspend flights operated by Flydubai to Israel. The demand follows an incident where a co-pilot allegedly attempted to carry out a terror attack by crashing the plane. The co-pilot, reportedly from Oman, was subdued by the Emirati pilot with assistance from Israeli passengers aboard the flight. Regev stated that Flydubai violated the aviation agreement between Israel and the UAE, which stipulates that only pilots from countries with diplomatic relations with Israel are permitted to land in the country. An Israeli official confirmed that the Omani pilot had never previously landed in Israel. A Ministry of Transportation source described the event as a "mega-event," narrowly averting a major disaster.

Furthermore, Regev is urging the Prime Minister to grant Israeli airlines immediate permission to fly to Dubai, subject to Israeli security screening. Israeli carriers are currently barred from flying to Dubai due to a dispute over security requirements. Meanwhile, the Israel Airports Authority is preparing to receive passengers from the Flydubai flight on a rescue flight from Saudi Arabia. The authority has established a waiting and information area for families of the passengers at Terminal 1 of Ben Gurion Airport.

The incident has also had economic repercussions, with shares of Israeli airlines El Al and Israir rising by 7% and over 9% respectively on the stock exchange. Analysts suggest that the alleged terror attempt may lead many Israeli travelers to prefer Israeli airlines, which employ exclusively Israeli pilots, many of them former air force personnel, and operate under a stringent, government-subsidized security system. El Al announced it would operate a dedicated WhatsApp line for bookings from all its global destinations for Israelis abroad seeking to return home, even if they initially flew with other airlines. Arkia CEO Oz Berlowitz emphasized the importance of Israeli airlines resuming flights to Dubai, highlighting the vulnerability of relying on foreign carriers for a crucial route.