10,000 Israelis stranded in Dubai after airline cancels evacuation flights
What's the story
Israel's flagship airline, El Al, has been forced to cancel its planned rescue flights from Dubai after the United Arab Emirates (UAE) withdrew landing permissions. The flights were meant to repatriate Israeli citizens stranded in Dubai. "Due to the cancellation of approval for Israeli companies to land in Dubai, as was reported by the authorities in Israel, we are forced to cancel, at this stage, our rescue flights ... for tomorrow, Friday, October 2," the airline said.
Stranded citizens
Over 10,000 Israelis stranded in Dubai
The cancellation of these flights has reportedly left over 10,000 Israelis stranded in Dubai and other places.
The decision to cancel the flights came after lengthy negotiations between senior Israeli officials and Emirati authorities failed to finalize agreements and approvals for Israeli airlines to land in the UAE.
El Al did not explain why the landing permits were withdrawn but Israel's Channel 7 reported that the announcement followed a last-minute UAE decision to withdraw landing permits for the evacuation flights.
Security incident
Cancellation follows attack on flydubai flight
Israeli carriers had been preparing special flights to repatriate trapped Israelis after flydubai ceased services following an incident where an Omani co-pilot attempted to crash the plane by stabbing the pilot, who managed to unlock the cockpit door, allowing crew and passengers to intervene.
The flight made an emergency landing at Saudi Arabia's Tabuk airport after a rapid descent of around 17,000 feet in two minutes.
Two off-duty flydubai pilots on board performed the landing.
Flight bookings
El Al to resume flights on Sunday
While Friday flights were canceled, El Al said it remains fully prepared to operate charter flights to Dubai to bring Israeli citizens home as soon as approval is received.
The airline stated that flights scheduled for next Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday remain on the schedule but are fully booked.
The airline is selling tickets for one-way repatriation flights at $249 each during this busy travel season due to the Sukkot holiday.