Israel carrier to operate one flight to Dubai a day

Israeli authorities have instructed El Al airlines to operate only one return flight between Tel Aviv and Dubai, the company’s CEO Avigal Soreq announced yesterday.

Soreq told Army Radio that the aircraft designated for the Dubai flight was “large in size”, noting that most travellers were “referred to other companies’ flights or to El Al’s expected flights in the coming days.”

On Thursday, Israel’s Aviation Security Operations Centre and the Shin Bet security service ordered Israeli airlines to reduce the number of flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai starting yesterday. Israel had been operating three daily flights to Dubai before the governments disagreed over security arrangements.

Israel’s Shin Bet security service has voiced concerns – which it did not publicly detail – about arrangements at Dubai International Airport.

It has been suggested that UAE capital, Abu Dhabi, could serve as an alternative for the Israeli carriers, but industry officials said that was not commercially viable as long as competitors still use Dubai.

Emirati state carrier, Flydubai, operates direct Dubai-Tel Aviv flights and Dubai’s Emirates has been looking to launch flights to Israel. Etihad Airways and Wizz Air fly from Abu Dhabi to Tel Aviv.

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