World
CROSS-SPECTRUMBROAD COVERAGE
Israeli airlines petition to resume Dubai flights after flydubai incident
A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv was forced to land after a pilot threatened a colleague with a knife, prompting Flydubai to suspend the route while investigations continue. Israel's three largest airlines—El Al, Israir and Arkia—have submitted requests to Israeli security authorities to lift the suspension on Dubai connections. A senior Israeli security official said discussions with Emirati officials are ongoing to secure the needed permits. Shares of El Al and Israir have risen since the incident. The airlines stress the importance of restoring the service for travelers.
How this was covered
- Right-leaning outlets covered this 18h later
- Left-leaning coverage is the most divided on this story
Why it matters
The decision will shape travel options between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
How this story developed
- Sep 30 Netanyahu hails Indian pilot who thwarted alleged flydubai sabotage
- Oct 1 Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed the second pilot who stabbed the captain on a Fly Dubai flight had undergone Islamist radicalisation.
- Oct 1 El Al, Israir and Arkia have asked Israeli security officials to allow them to resume scheduled flights to Dubai following a violent incident on a flydubai plane.
- Oct 1 The Saudi interior ministry said its initial probe indicates the co-pilot on the Dubai‑to‑Tel Aviv flight assaulted the captain.
- Oct 2 The suspect was transferred to United Arab Emirates authorities.
- Oct 2 A UAE official called the mid-air incident on flydubai flight FZ1073 a terrorist act and praised Indian pilot Smit Machchhar for safely landing the aircraft after a co-pilot attack.
- Oct 2 Modi praised Machchhar for averting disaster.
- Oct 2 Israeli carriers have formally requested clearance to restart Dubai routes.
- Oct 3 Co‑pilot identified as Hamam al Hamami, an Omani national previously barred by Oman over extremist concerns.
- Oct 3 UAE prosecutors have classified the March incident on Flydubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv as a terrorist attack after a co-pilot used an emergency axe against the pilot.
- Oct 3 The weapon used in the attack was identified as a small axe.
- Oct 3 The aircraft was diverted to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, where it landed safely.
- Oct 3 Specialised investigators are analysing physical and digital evidence to determine the co‑pilot's motives and identify any potential ties to external extremist organisations.
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