Israel’s three largest airlines are preparing to resume flights between Tel Aviv and Dubai after a security dispute interrupted services on one of the region’s key leisure routes. El Al, Arkia and Israir have asked for permission to restart operations, with El Al planning at least two daily flights from November and Israir targeting up to 10 weekly services.
The move follows an apparent attempt to crash a flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, which triggered a new security review and left Israeli travellers stranded in Dubai. Approval from Israeli state authorities and security services is still required before regular services can restart, and the timetable for final clearance remains unclear.
Arkia linked the return to the need to restore competition on the Tel Aviv-Dubai sector. El Al framed the plan as a return after an eight-month hiatus, while Israir is aiming for a more limited schedule than before the suspension. The route has been a significant market for Israeli carriers because Dubai draws both leisure traffic and connecting passengers, and the suspension left non-Israeli operators with most of the traffic.