Dubai: Emirates has further extended the suspension of flights to and from Israel’s capital Tel Aviv until November 30, the airline announced on Wednesday.
Emirates, operating three daily flights to Tel Aviv, had initially cancelled its operations on October 12 due to safety concerns following the Israel-Hamas conflict on 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. Moreover, change and cancellation charges will be waived for tickets issued on/before October 11, for travel until November 30.
Emirates has now extended its flight cancellations for the fourth time since October 20. The Dubai airline announced the second extension on October 26, followed by a third one on November 14.
During the ongoing conflict, flight operations between the UAE and Israel have either been suspended or significantly reduced. Dubai carrier flydubai and Etihad’s flag carrier Etihad Airways have significantly curtailed their operations as well.
Qatar has mediated an agreement between Egypt, Israel and Hamas, in coordination with the U.S., which will allow limited evacuations from besieged Gaza, a source briefed on the deal told Reuters on Wednesday.
The agreement would allow foreign passport holders and some critically injured people to leave through the Rafah border crossing between Egypt and Gaza, though there is no timeline for how long it will remain open for evacuation, the source added.
More than 8,500 people, mostly civilians, have already been killed in Gaza since the start of the Israel Hamas war, according to Palestinian officials.
