Israel Funds Cargo Flight to Retrieve Luggage from Dubai

An Israeli cargo plane, a Boeing 747 operated by Challenge Airlines, is set to depart from Ben Gurion Airport for Dubai on Thursday to retrieve the luggage of Israeli passengers who were stranded there. The flight was arranged after Arkia and Israir operated special rescue flights over the weekend to bring Israelis back home due to the suspension of regular flights by El Al, Arkia, and Israir to the UAE. The Shin Bet had prohibited the transport of cargo on passenger flights, a move linked to an ongoing security dispute with Emirati authorities regarding security requirements for Israeli airlines, which led to the halt of regular commercial flights.

The cargo plane will load the passengers' belongings in Dubai and then return to Israel. It is expected to make additional trips to Dubai as needed to complete the luggage retrieval operation. The flight received all necessary approvals shortly before its scheduled departure.

Muli Ravina, Chairman of Challenge Airlines, stated that the company acted in coordination with the Ministry of Defense's training and production director, the Director of the Civil Aviation Authority Shmuel Zakhai, and the CEO of the Airports Authority Sharon Kadmi. Ravina added that the company established a situation room and allocated a dedicated cargo plane for this mission. He noted that providing a cargo plane for passenger baggage, as required by UAE authorities, enabled the return of Israelis to the country.

The Challenge Group, owned by Ofer Galboa, employs approximately 1,200 people globally and holds about 35.5% of the cargo market share at Ben Gurion Airport. The group operates 16 wide-body aircraft with significant operational centers in Israel, Belgium, and Malta. Since October 7, the company has been a key contractor for the Ministry of Defense, transporting urgent shipments.