flydubai suspended: what is happening now with flights between Israel and Dubai

On Wednesday, 30 September 2026, a security incident took place on flydubai flight FZ1073, which had departed from Dubai for Tel Aviv. Since then, the map of flights between Israel and Dubai has changed almost overnight: flydubai has stopped flying to Israel, the Israeli airlines are operating rescue flights to bring home those left in Dubai, and security arrangements between Israel and the United Arab Emirates that would allow the route to resume are moving forward.

We have gathered here what is known as of 1 October 2026, based on flydubai's official statement and reports in the Israeli and international media. Further on you will find what to do if you have a booking, and how to think about a trip to Dubai in the coming period. The situation is changing quickly, so before any decision it is worth checking with the airline as well.

What happened on flight FZ1073

According to flydubai's statement, an incident occurred in the flight deck during the flight. The crew brought the situation under control, and the aircraft landed safely at Tabuk airport in Saudi Arabia. Reports in Israel describe the incident as an attempted attack.

The investigation is still ongoing. flydubai wrote that the reasons and motives behind the incident are not yet known, and asked people to avoid premature speculation. We will not go into the details of the incident here either. The purpose of this article is practical: to make sense of what has changed with flights, and of what it means for you.

flydubai: the Israel route is suspended

Immediately after the incident, all flydubai flights to and from Israel were suspended. In Israel, the suspension was set, as a first step, for at least six days. flydubai itself says that its flights to Israel are suspended while the investigation continues, and that the decision will be reviewed as more information becomes available.

In practice, as of 1 October 2026 there is no known date for the route to resume. Many Israelis who planned to fly home with flydubai were left in Dubai without a direct flight, and anyone who booked a flight to Dubai for the coming days needs to check what is happening with their booking.

The rescue flights: El Al, Israir and Arkia

To bring home the Israelis left in Dubai, the Ministry of Transport, the security services and the three Israeli airlines, El Al, Israir and Arkia, drew up an emergency plan of special rescue flights. According to reports, the first flights depart on Friday, 2 October 2026, with the approval of the security services.

A few things that are important to know about these flights:

• They go one way, from Dubai to Israel. According to the Ministry of Transport, the Israeli aircraft fly to the UAE empty and return with passengers. They cannot be used to fly to Dubai for a holiday.
• Baggage is limited. According to the airlines' announcements, passengers board with one bag only. Suitcases are sent to Israel separately, on cargo flights.
• Booking is done with the airlines. Tickets are sold on the airlines' websites, and according to ynet the tickets for El Al's first flights sold out within minutes. Schedules are updated according to the approvals, so anyone in Dubai should follow the airlines' official announcements.

The rescue flights are meant to bring home people who are already in Dubai. They do not reopen the route for holidays.

The security arrangements with the UAE

To understand the picture, you need to go back a few months. According to Reuters, the Israeli airlines stopped flying to the UAE at the end of February 2026, when the war with Iran broke out. They have not returned to the route since, partly because of a dispute over Israeli security requirements at airports in the Emirates.

After the incident on flight FZ1073 there has been progress. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohamed bin Zayed, and said that the two had agreed to arrange the security issue. According to the Jerusalem Post, the UAE approved allowing Shin Bet personnel to carry out security checks at Dubai airport in the coming days, and this is what allows the Israeli airlines to fly there on a temporary basis. According to ynet, the Shin Bet gave the airlines a temporary approval for several days.

The next step is the return of regular flights. The Israeli airlines have asked for approval to return to the route, and according to Reuters El Al is aiming for at least two flights a day from November, while Israir is talking about up to 10 flights a week. But as of 1 October 2026 final approval has not yet been given. A senior security official told Reuters that they hope to receive it soon. Until then, these are plans and not a flight schedule.

Who is flying between Israel and the UAE now

flydubai

Suspended. No return date yet.

El Al, Israir and Arkia

Rescue flights from Dubai to Israel only. Regular flights: not yet.

Etihad

Continues to fly between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi.

According to the Jerusalem Post, Etihad operates two flights a day, and Etihad and Emirates are examining the possibility of increasing the number of flights between the UAE and Israel. From Abu Dhabi to Dubai it is about an hour to an hour and a half by road. The full flight table, which is updated when the situation changes, is on the Flights & Entry page.

Have a booking? What to do now

1. Check with the airline. If you booked a flydubai flight, contact the airline through its official channels. According to the Jerusalem Post, flydubai passengers were asked to contact the airline to exercise their rights under the law, including accommodation, a refund for the flight and further assistance. It is worth finding out what the airline is offering before you book an alternative flight.
2. Check your travel insurance. Read in your policy what is covered when a flight is cancelled or changed, and contact the insurer before you take on further expenses. Every policy is different, and only the insurer can tell you what applies to you.
3. Keep all your documents. Flight tickets, cancellation notices, receipts for accommodation, food and transport, and screenshots of messages from the airline. You will need them for any refund request, with both the airline and the insurer.
4. Update your hotel and transfer. If your dates change, update your hotel, your airport transfer and any attractions you booked as early as possible. If you booked through us, message us and we will deal with it together.
5. If you are in Dubai now, follow the official announcements from El Al, Israir and Arkia about the rescue flights, and remember the baggage limit: one bag to board the aircraft, with suitcases sent separately.

Planning a trip to Dubai? How to think about it

Dubai has not gone anywhere, but the way to get there has changed, and in the coming days it may change again. If you are planning a trip, here are a few principles to help you decide without guessing:

• Plan around what exists today. As of 1 October 2026, a regular route that is operating is Etihad to Abu Dhabi, with a transfer from there to Dubai. Do not count on flydubai or the Israeli airlines returning on a particular date until an official date is published.
• Prefer flexibility. Where possible, choose tickets and hotels that allow changes or cancellation. Check the terms before you pay, not after.
• Insurance with cancellation cover. Before you book, check what the policy covers when a flight is cancelled or when the situation changes, and what it does not cover.
• Follow official sources. The airlines and the Ministry of Transport publish the binding updates. We update the Flights & Entry page when something changes.

It is important to remember that the situation is fluid, and what is true today can change within days. So it is better not to lock in every part of the trip at once before the flight is clear, and to check the situation again a few days before you leave.

How MY DUBAI can help

We follow the official announcements and update the site when something changes. If you have a booking with us, we will help you update the hotel, transfers and attractions to your new dates. If you are planning a trip, we will be happy to build it with you around the options that actually exist, including a flight to Abu Dhabi and a private transfer to Dubai.

We have no inside information about the decisions of the airlines or the government, and we will not promise what we do not know. What we can do is help you make sense of things, check the options and answer you on WhatsApp.