Dubai’s Emirates extends Tel Aviv flight cancellations until October 31

Dubai: Emirates has further extended the suspension of flights to and from Israel’s capital Tel Aviv until October 31.

Emirates, operating three daily flights to Tel Aviv, had initially cancelled its operations on October 12 due to safety concerns after the start of Israel-Hamas conflict October 7. “We are closely monitoring the situation in Israel and are in close contact with the relevant authorities," said an Emirates spokesperson. "The safety of our customers, crew and stakeholders is our No. 1 priority,”

Customers with onward connections to Tel Aviv on cancelled Emirates flights will not be accepted for travel at their point of origin until further notice, said the airline. During the ongoing conflict, flight operations between the UAE and Israel have either been suspended or significantly reduced.

Etihad continues to operate flights to Israel, albeit with fewer daily services. flydubai has streamlined its operations to Tel Aviv, reducing daily flights from four to two.

The first Emirates flight to Tel Aviv took off in June 2022, carrying 335 passengers from Dubai International Airport. This flight marked the commencement of a daily service between the two cities following the signing of the Abraham Accords.

Dubai welcomed 209,000 visitors from Israel, making it the 10th largest source market for inbound tourism until Summer 2023. In Abu Dhabi, Israel became the 11th-largest source market for the same period, with 9,000 checking into its hotels.