Emirates Bars Passengers Connecting to Israel via Flydubai

Israeli travelers planning to return from destinations like Thailand are facing significant disruption as Emirates airline announced it will not allow passengers with onward connections to Tel Aviv via its subsidiary Flydubai to board flights to Dubai. This measure exacerbates the situation for Israelis already stranded in the UAE due to Flydubai's suspension of flights to Israel.

Emirates, which does not currently operate direct flights to Israel, has a codeshare agreement with Flydubai. This means passengers could book tickets through Emirates to Dubai, with the actual flight to Israel operated by Flydubai. Under the new directive, these passengers will be denied boarding even for the initial leg to Dubai, effectively stranding them further from home.

The airline stated, "Passengers whose final destination is Tel Aviv will not be permitted to board at their point of origin." However, Emirates clarified that passengers already en route to Tel Aviv would receive assistance to complete their journey.

This development highlights the reliance of Israeli travelers on Gulf carriers for international travel and follows Flydubai's earlier decision to suspend its flights to Israel. In response to the Flydubai suspension, Israeli airlines El Al and Israir announced they would operate rescue flights.