Israeli Flights from Dubai to Israel Approved After Diplomatic Push
Translated & summarized from N12 by baba
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli rescue flights from Dubai were approved but faced delays.
- UAE initially canceled landing permits for the flights.
- Emirates airline had previously restricted passengers to Israel.
- Conditions were tightened, including luggage restrictions.
- UAE ultimately revoked landing permits for the flights.
Israel's Ministry of Transportation announced early Friday that rescue flights operated by Israeli airlines from Dubai to Israel would commence, though their departure would be delayed due to final preparations. The ministry stated it is working with all relevant parties, both within Israel and abroad, to facilitate the flights as soon as possible. Citizens in Dubai are advised to contact their airlines for updates and instructions.
The situation became uncertain Thursday evening when the UAE initially canceled landing permits for the rescue flights. This followed an earlier decision by Emirates airline, Flydubai's parent company, at approximately 1:30 PM Thursday, to prohibit passengers with final destinations in Israel from boarding their flights to Dubai from other global locations. This meant Israelis en route to Tel Aviv via Dubai could not complete their journey.
Following the outcry caused by Emirates' decision, the Ministry of Transportation reached an agreement with the airline. Emirates would resume its Dubai-Israel flights once Israeli airlines restarted direct services between the two countries. The rescue flights were initially set to begin Friday morning after discussions involving Transportation Minister Miri Regev, security officials, and Emirati representatives.
El Al prepared a special rescue flight schedule to bring Israelis back from Dubai. Flights were to be sold at a uniform price of $249 for a basic fare. The first flight, LY974, was scheduled to depart Dubai at 11:00 AM, with a second, LY972, at 1:00 PM. El Al noted that security and other authorities might require changes to operations and that planes flying from Tel Aviv would be empty.
However, the UAE tightened conditions again around 6:30 PM Thursday, announcing that passengers would not be allowed to bring luggage onto the planes. In the late evening hours, just a few hours before they were scheduled to depart, the UAE revoked the landing permits for the rescue flights, creating further uncertainty.
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