Saudi Arabian Airlines denies reports its plane landing in Tel Aviv

Saudi Arabian Airlines, the national carrier of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, denied reports that one of its aircrafts landed at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv, Israel.

The official denial came in the wake of media reports and Twitter users sharing a picture of a Saudi Arabian Airlines aircraft which, they suggested had landed in Ben Gurion Airport yesterday.

The official Saudi Arabian Airlines Twitter account said: “None of Saudi Arabian aircrafts landed in the airport mentioned in the viral tweets,” in reference to Ben Gurion Airport.

The official tweet continued: “We are currently investigating whether any of the contracted companies violated their contract with Saudi Arabian Airlines.”

“Contracts of leased aircrafts prevent them from landing or transiting in countries that do not have relations with the Saudi Kingdom.”

Israeli media, including the Jerusalem Post said, reported yesterday that a Saudi passenger plane landed at Ben Gurion Airport on Tuesday evening.

The newspaper quoted anonymous Israeli officials as saying that a Saudi Airbus A330-300 landed in Ben Gurion Airport, it came from the Belgian capital, Brussels. The plane was reported to be empty with only the crew on board.

It added that the Saudi aircraft came to the airport for maintenance work.

The Israeli newspaper indicated that the plane belongs to a European company which is leasing it from Saudi Arabian Airlines.