Israel Tourism Executive Slams Dubai Flight Suspension
Translated & summarized from Mignews by baba
Mark Feldman, head of Ziontours, criticized the continued suspension of flights between Israel and Dubai, citing a lack of a security mechanism for resumption. The halt, following an incident on a Flydubai flight, has persisted for three weeks, with the UAE carrier suspending services until at least November 15. Disagreements over security protocols are the cause, leading to increased travel costs and disruptions for passengers. Etihad Airways remains the only UAE carrier operating flights to Israel.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Mark Feldman criticized the delay in resuming flights between Israel and Dubai.
- The suspension of flights is due to disagreements over security protocols between Israeli and Emirati authorities.
- Flydubai has suspended its services until at least November 15, with ticket sales halted until year-end.
- The cancellations have caused ticket shortages and price hikes for alternative routes to the UAE.
- Etihad Airways is currently the only UAE airline flying to Israel, increasing its flight frequency.
- The route was important for transit to Asian countries.
Mark Feldman, General Director of the Jerusalem-based company Ziontours, has criticized the ongoing delay in resuming flights between Israel and Dubai, reflecting growing passenger and market dissatisfaction. He expressed shock that the relevant Israeli authorities have not yet established a mechanism for the Emirati carrier to restart flights to Israel, according to JNS. Three weeks after an incident involving a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, air traffic between the two cities remains completely suspended. The popular UAE carrier, which previously operated ten daily flights, has halted services on this route until at least November 15, with ticket sales suspended until year-end. The suspension stems from disagreements between Israeli and Emirati security agencies. Israeli media reports indicate Israel is demanding the deployment of its own personnel in Dubai and the installation of additional X-ray scanners for baggage checks. The flight cancellations have led to a shortage of tickets and sharply increased prices for alternative routes to the UAE, forcing travelers to use other transit hubs. Israeli airlines that planned to launch flights in November are also unable to service the route, which was crucial for transit to Asian countries. Etihad Airways is the sole carrier still flying from the UAE to Israel, having increased its Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv flights to six daily.