Hundreds of Israelis Stranded in Dubai After Flight Cancellations

Hundreds of Israeli travelers found themselves stranded in Dubai on Thursday following the suspension of Flydubai flights to Tel Aviv for six days. The cancellations were a direct response to an attempted hijacking incident that occurred the previous day. Flydubai typically operates around ten daily flights to Israel, and the disruption significantly impacts passengers returning from the Far East who use Dubai as a transit hub.

In an effort to resolve the crisis, representatives from the Shin Bet security agency are expected to arrive in Dubai on Thursday to conduct security preparations. These measures are intended to enable Israeli airlines to resume operations from the emirate, potentially as early as Friday. Local airlines have indicated their readiness to commence flights immediately upon receiving the necessary approvals.

Meanwhile, Etihad Airways, which currently operates two daily flights to Israel, plans to increase its service. Emirates is also evaluating the resumption of its Tel Aviv route. Stranded passengers have been offered alternative flights to destinations such as Amman, Larnaca, and Athens. However, the surge in travel due to the end of the Sukkot holiday is making it difficult to secure onward connections to Israel from these locations.

One stranded traveler, Yael Tzuraf, who arrived from Vietnam with her son, described the situation. "There are other Israelis who landed from other destinations and are stuck like us," she told Ynet, en route to a hotel provided by the Emiratis. "It's unclear who is supposed to pay for re-purchasing flight tickets. All I want is to get home with my child." Her husband, Chen, who is in Israel, confirmed their unsuccessful attempts to find available seats on alternative flights. Other passengers are pursuing indirect routes, with some flying to Amman and planning to take a taxi to the border. Alicia, who flew from Sri Lanka, opted for a flight to Athens, hoping to arrange her return from there, but noted the difficulty in finding available seats due to the holiday travel.