Israeli Airlines Eye Abu Dhabi as New UAE Destination Amid Dubai Flight Delays
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir are seeking to launch direct flights to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, as an alternative to Dubai. The plan comes after Flydubai's return to Israel was repeatedly delayed due to security disputes following an attempted hijacking in September. The Israeli Ministry of Transport supports the initiative, which would allow Israeli carriers to compete with Etihad Airways on the Abu Dhabi route.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir are interested in flying directly to Abu Dhabi.
- The potential new route to Abu Dhabi replaces a planned service to Dubai.
- Flydubai's return to Israel has been repeatedly postponed due to security disagreements.
- An attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight in September led to Israeli security demands.
- Disputes over security measures and investigation reports hinder flights between Israel and Dubai.
Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir are reportedly interested in launching direct flights to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. This potential new route would serve as an alternative to Dubai, as the return of the Emirati airline Flydubai to Israel, originally scheduled for the following week, has been postponed again. The move is supported by the Israeli Ministry of Transport. Abu Dhabi is considered a significant destination partly due to the extensive connecting flight options available at its airport, and Etihad Airways, based in Abu Dhabi, already operates several daily flights to Israel. The Israeli carriers aim to compete on this route.
This development follows months during which Israeli airlines were prohibited from flying to the UAE due to security concerns, while Emirati airlines continued to operate flights to Israel. The situation escalated after an attempted hijacking of a Flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv in late September, where an Omani co-pilot allegedly tried to crash the plane. Following this incident, Israel demanded enhanced security measures at Dubai Airport, including additional X-ray scanners and the presence of Shin Bet personnel. However, disagreements arose over some of these demands and the transfer of the full investigation report to Israel. These disputes continue to prevent Flydubai's return to Israel and, consequently, block Israeli airlines from operating flights to Dubai.
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