El Al Cancels Dubai Flights For Israelis After Flydubai Incident Raises Fresh Security Concerns

Israel's national carrier El Al cancelled two special repatriation flights planned from Dubai on Friday after Emirati authorities did not grant permission for the aircraft to land. The flights had been arranged to bring stranded Israeli passengers back home after Dubai-based flydubai suspended its service to Tel Aviv following an in-flight attack. The cancellation left the planned evacuation operation on hold pending approval from the UAE authorities. El Al said the two special flights had been announced late Thursday as part of efforts to return Israelis stranded in Dubai. However, the airline said on Friday that it had not received the necessary landing permission from Emirati authorities.

Without that approval, the carrier was unable to operate the planned flights from Dubai, forcing it to cancel the services that had been scheduled to bring passengers back to Israel. In an online notice, El Al said it remained ready to operate the special services once the required authorisation was granted. The airline said it would carry out flights to Dubai and return the stranded Israelis home as soon as possible after receiving approval from the relevant authorities. The statement indicated that the cancellation was linked to the absence of landing permission rather than a decision by the airline to abandon the repatriation effort.

The planned flights were arranged after flydubai suspended its service between Dubai and Tel Aviv following an incident involving one of its flights. The disruption affected passengers travelling between the UAE and Israel and created difficulties for Israelis seeking to return home. With regular service unavailable, El Al had announced the special flights to provide an alternative route for stranded passengers. The disruption comes amid heightened security concerns surrounding air travel in the region. The flydubai incident prompted the airline to suspend its Tel Aviv service, affecting the normal movement of passengers between Dubai and Israel.

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The subsequent effort by El Al to operate dedicated repatriation flights depended on receiving the necessary approvals from Emirati authorities before the aircraft could land in Dubai. For Israelis waiting in Dubai, the cancellation means that the timing of their return remains dependent on when landing permission is granted and when El Al can reschedule its special services. The airline has not indicated that it is abandoning the operation and said it is prepared to resume the flights once approval is received.

The carrier's notice also said the objective was to bring the affected Israelis home as quickly as possible. The episode highlights the complications facing passengers when commercial air services are disrupted and alternative repatriation flights require additional regulatory approval. While El Al has said it is ready to operate the special flights, the absence of permission from Emirati authorities has prevented the planned services from going ahead. The airline is now awaiting clearance before it can arrange another attempt to fly to Dubai and return the stranded Israeli passengers to Israel.

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