El Al Launches Emergency Measures to Aid Israelis Abroad After Dubai Flight Incident

El Al is preparing to assist Israelis abroad who wish to return to Israel, following a serious incident on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel and growing concerns among Israeli travelers about flying with foreign airlines. The Israeli airline announced it would launch a dedicated WhatsApp hotline later today, enabling Israelis worldwide to book El Al flights, even if they did not initially depart Israel on an El Al plane. Additionally, El Al is arranging to send a special aircraft from Bangkok to Israel in the coming days to help Israelis in Thailand return home via an Israeli carrier. These measures come in response to numerous requests from Israelis overseas seeking ways to return to Israel.

The airline's preparations follow a highly unusual event on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv. According to Israeli reports, the co-pilot, an Omani national, allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to hijack the aircraft, intending to crash it. Passengers and crew members reportedly managed to breach the cockpit and subdue the co-pilot. The plane ultimately landed in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. The Israeli passengers were then transferred to a replacement Flydubai aircraft, which flew them to Israel after a lengthy wait in Saudi Arabia.

Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant described the incident as an attempted jihadist attack, stating that initial intelligence suggested the co-pilot's intention was to "crash the plane with all its passengers." El Al clarified that the new hotline aims to assist Israelis who flew abroad on other airlines, effectively allowing them to choose El Al for their return journey, subject to flight availability. The special flight from Bangkok is intended as an additional measure for Israelis in Thailand seeking to fly home with an Israeli airline.