El Al Plans Dubai Flights Amid Security Review After Flydubai Incident

El Al is preparing to resume direct flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai in November, eight months after Israeli airlines suspended the route. The announcement follows a serious incident on a Flydubai flight en route to Israel, which Israel's security establishment suspects was a sabotage attempt. El Al's decision to restart the route comes after Israeli airlines were prohibited from flying to Dubai since Operation "Breaking Dawn."

If approved, El Al intends to operate at least two daily flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai. However, the company stressed that this is currently a preparatory phase and the resumption of flights is contingent upon receiving official government approvals. A final date for the return to operation has not yet been set.

The move occurs in the wake of an unusual event on a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Israel. According to initial reports from Defense Minister Israel Katz, one of the pilots allegedly stabbed the other and attempted to crash the plane. Israeli passengers reportedly subdued the pilot, and the aircraft landed in Saudi Arabia. This incident has prompted a reevaluation of flights between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

The return of El Al to the Dubai route, if authorized, would provide Israelis with direct flight options to the popular destination via an Israeli carrier, a service that has been unavailable for an extended period.