Flydubai extends Tel Aviv flight suspension until 30 November, Israeli broadcaster reports
Dubai-based carrier flydubai has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until 30 November, according to Israeli broadcaster Channel 12, though the airline itself has not formally announced the extension.
Dubai-based airline flydubai has extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until 30 November, Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported on Friday, prolonging a stoppage that began a month ago after a serious security incident on board one of its aircraft.
The broadcaster did not give a reason for the extension, and the airline has not issued a formal statement confirming the new date, according to reports of the Channel 12 account. Anadolu Agency likewise noted that flydubai had not announced the extension itself, which means the 30 November date should for now be read as reported rather than confirmed by the carrier.
The suspension stems from the events of 30 September, when a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv, flight FZ1073, was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia after an Omani national serving as assistant captain allegedly attempted to seize control of the aircraft. The flight was carrying 174 Israeli passengers to Ben Gurion Airport at the time.
UAE prosecutors later said investigators had determined that the assistant captain intended to carry out an attack on the airport terminal, and the case has since been treated by the UAE authorities as an attempted terrorist act. Flydubai suspended its Tel Aviv operations in the immediate aftermath while the investigation continued.
Before the suspension, flydubai typically operated ten daily flights between Dubai and Tel Aviv, making the route one of the busiest links between the Gulf and Israel. Its continued absence therefore affects not only point-to-point travellers but also passengers connecting through Dubai to destinations across Asia and beyond.
The reported 30 November date would push the resumption beyond dates previously visible in scheduling data, which had pointed to a mid-November return. That shift suggests the airline and the authorities involved are not yet ready to set a firm restart, even as other carriers continue to serve the route.
Emirates' codeshare services with flydubai to and from Tel Aviv remain suspended until further notice, according to the airline's travel updates, so passengers holding Emirates-issued itineraries that include a flydubai-operated Tel Aviv sector remain affected as well. Affected travellers are being advised to check directly with their airline or travel agent for rebooking options.
The episode has also exposed a wider security dispute between Israeli and Emirati aviation authorities over crew vetting and screening arrangements at Dubai airport, an issue reported in the weeks after the incident. Until those arrangements are aligned, reservations on the route have remained unavailable.
For passengers, the practical consequence is continued disruption into late November: no flydubai service on the Dubai–Tel Aviv route, no confirmed resumption date from the airline itself, and a reliance on alternative carriers for travel between the two cities.
What happens next is likely to hinge on two things: a formal statement from flydubai confirming or revising the reported date, and progress in the security discussions between the two sides. Either could move the resumption earlier or push it further back, and travellers with bookings in late November should watch for an airline announcement before travelling.
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