Flydubai suspends all flights to and from Israel: Rescue flights from Friday
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Flydubai has temporarily suspended all flight operations to and from Israel following a physical altercation between pilots inside the cockpit of a Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight on Wednesday (September 30). The shocking incident has also prompted UAE carrier Emirates to immediately suspend its codeshare services with the low-cost airline on this route. The flights are suspended following the recommendations from the Israel Security Agency. Meanwhile, Israeli airlines EL AL and Israir are in the process of arranging rescue flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv to help those stranded in the UAE. The rescue flight operations are expected to begin tomorrow, reports the Times of Israel.
What passengers should do
On its website, flydubai has instructed passengers to follow these steps:
a) Go to the airport only after checking the status of their flights, via the flydubai Flight Disruptions Policy.
b) Within the next 30 days, eligible flyers can rebook the next available flights or book an alternative date. There will be no extra fees.
c) Check EL AL and Israir airline updates on rescue flights from the UAE.
d) Etihad is also expected to increase its flight capacity from Abu Dhabi to Israel soon.
Drama in the cockpit
The flydubai incident occurred on September 30, 2026 on flight FZ1073, which had departed Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv. Other crew members on board intervened to regain control of the situation, and the decision was made to immediately divert the aircraft.
Pilot hospitalised in Saudi Arabia
The flight was safely diverted to Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. While all passengers and cabin crew members were reported safe, an Indian pilot, Smit Machhar, sustained injuries during the mid-air fight and was admitted to a local hospital in Saudi Arabia. Flydubai subsequently dispatched two replacement aircraft to Tabuk to transport the stranded passengers and the remaining crew to their final destination in Israel.
