According to N12 journalist Dean Fisher, sources in Flydubai said the airline requested to resume flights to Israel as early as this Saturday, but was forced to cancel all flights until October 15. The statement comes amid the ongoing suspension of Flydubai operations following the attempted hijacking of flight FZ1073 earlier this week.
The new report from N12 journalist Dean Fisher provides the first indication that Flydubai itself has been seeking to resume its Israel operations — suspended after the attempted hijacking of flight FZ1073 on September 30 — but has been prevented from doing so by what the airline describes as external pressure.
According to the sources cited by Fisher, the airline requested to restart flights as early as this Saturday, October 3, but was compelled to cancel all flights through October 15. The statement "they forced us to cancel" implies the decision came from Israeli authorities, who earlier this week suspended all Flydubai flights pending a security review following the attack. The Zioneer previously reported that Israeli transportation authorities, following recommendations from the Shin Bet and the Prime Minister, maintained the suspension until a full security assessment was completed.
The attempted hijacking on September 30 involved an Omani co-pilot who allegedly stabbed the captain and attempted to seize control of the aircraft before passengers intervened. The plane diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Prime Minister Netanyahu said Friday that the perpetrator underwent Islamist radicalization and warned that "whoever sent him will pay a very heavy price." The UAE attorney general has opened an investigation, and Israeli officials said no direct Iranian link had been found.
Flydubai's eagerness to resume operations — tomorrow would have been the first possible day — suggests the airline perceives the security risk as contained, while Israeli authorities appear to take a more cautious approach. With the cancellation extended to October 15, the disruption for Israeli travelers is now set to last at least two full weeks.
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