Flydubai extends Tel Aviv flight suspension to Nov. 30, Israeli media report

Flydubai has extended the suspension of its Tel Aviv flights until Nov. 30, Anadolu Agency reported on Oct. 30, citing Israel’s Channel 12. The reported extension follows a September incident involving one of the airline’s aircraft travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

Channel 12 gave no explanation for the extension, according to the Anadolu account published by Middle East Monitor. That report said flydubai had not formally announced the new deadline. The airline statements described a suspension without a fixed end date.

Separately, the United Arab Emirates’ General Civil Aviation Authority said arrangements to transport passengers affected by flydubai’s temporary suspension had been completed. Its announcement, carried by Emirates News Agency (WAM), addressed alternative travel arrangements rather than a date for flydubai to resume services.

The authority said 7,479 passengers had travelled on 37 flights linking Dubai International Airport with Ben Gurion Airport from Oct. 2, 2026. It also said coordination to bring back stranded passengers was complete.

Israeli airlines received permission to fly to Dubai to help replace disrupted scheduled services, the authority said. Etihad Airways also operated flights and continued its scheduled Tel Aviv services, leaving that connection operating during flydubai’s suspension.

Anadolu dated the start of flydubai’s suspension to Sept. 30. A statement attributed to chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith on the airline’s website said flight FZ 1073 diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, that day following a flight-deck safety incident.

The airline webpage said flydubai crew members on duty aboard the flight secured the aircraft and brought it down safely at Tabuk Airport. It said the carrier sent two replacement aircraft, while Al Ghaith said everyone aboard was safe.

Al Ghaith’s statement said authorities had requested the temporary halt to Tel Aviv operations. A separate airline statement linked the suspension of Israel flights to the continuing investigation.

The Anadolu account published by Middle East Monitor also attributed findings to UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi on Oct. 9. It said investigators had concluded that the assistant captain tried to take control of the aircraft for an operation directed against Ben Gurion Airport.