World · Malaysia Bureau
El Al scraps Dubai flights after UAE denies landing clearance
Israel's national carrier has cancelled two special repatriation flights from Dubai following the withholding of landing permission by Emirati authorities. The cancellation marks a setback to efforts to evacuate Israeli nationals from the Gulf emirate.
LSN Malaysia ·
El Al Israel Airlines announced the cancellation of the two charter flights on Friday after authorities in the United Arab Emirates declined to grant landing permission for the aircraft. The flights had been scheduled as emergency repatriation services to bring Israeli citizens back home, with the airline having announced the operation late Thursday.
The decision by UAE officials to withhold clearance effectively blocked the airline's plans to operate the special services. El Al did not provide specific reasons for the Emirati rejection of the landing requests, nor did it immediately outline alternative arrangements for the affected passengers.
The development comes amid heightened sensitivities in the region regarding air travel and diplomatic relations. The Emirates has maintained official trade and diplomatic ties with Israel following the 2020 normalisation agreement, though the situation remains subject to regional political dynamics.
El Al indicated it was exploring options to proceed with repatriations through alternative channels or at a later date. The carrier did not specify the number of Israeli nationals who were expected to be on the cancelled flights.