Israel-Dubai Flights Delayed Amid Security Dispute and Canceled Meeting

Flights between Israel and Dubai remain suspended following an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai plane, with only a few rescue flights operated by Israeli companies permitted. Flydubai's request to resume regular service to Israel was rejected by Israeli Minister of Transport Miri Regev and the Civil Aviation Authority (RAA). The airline then approached the UAE government, its owner, to arrange a professional delegation visit to Dubai. The purpose of this visit was to review the company's investigation findings into the incident and its safety protocols designed to prevent recurrence. A meeting was scheduled for Sunday in the Emirates but was postponed. Sources in the Ministry of Transport claim Regev requested the delay to review the ministry's own investigation findings. However, aviation industry sources suggest the cancellation request came from the UAE, which preferred to maintain the meeting's professional nature rather than making it a governmental or political affair. The postponement has raised concerns among Israeli airlines about resuming flights to Dubai. Consequently, Israir has removed Dubai flights from its sales systems until the end of November. Arkia is currently the only airline still selling tickets to Dubai for November, despite no clear indication of flight approvals. The core of the dispute lies in security disagreements, with the Shin Bet demanding a screening system and enhanced security measures, which the UAE has refused to implement. Israir stated that it is operating according to the directives of authorized bodies, including the Shin Bet and RAA, and that the meeting's postponement led them to responsibly remove flights from sale to prevent passenger uncertainty. The airline emphasized it is not the cause of the crisis but is working towards a solution to resume flights.