Israel begins UAE repatriation flights after Flydubai cockpit attack

Israel began an operation on Friday to bring home passengers stranded in the United Arab Emirates after the attack aboard a Tel Aviv-bound Flydubai aircraft led to the suspension of the airline’s Israel services, disrupting one of the busiest air links created under the Abraham Accords.

Israeli carriers Arkia and Israir were expected to operate special flights from Dubai after receiving the necessary approvals, although security coordination caused delays and changes to the original schedule. El Al’s planned Friday repatriation flights were scrapped after difficulties over landing permission, with the Israeli flag carrier expected to join the operation later.

Passengers stranded

The emergency arrangements followed Wednesday’s attack aboard Flydubai Flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv, when the co-pilot allegedly attacked captain Smit Machchhar and attempted to crash the aircraft. The plane was eventually brought under control and diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai subsequently suspended its Israel services while authorities investigated the incident. The suspension stranded passengers in the UAE and disrupted the journeys of travellers using Dubai as a connecting hub for destinations in Asia, Africa and elsewhere.

Before the suspension, Flydubai operated multiple daily services between Dubai and Tel Aviv. Dubai has emerged as a major destination and transit hub for Israeli travellers since the UAE and Israel established diplomatic relations in 2020.

Israeli authorities and the UAE consequently worked on arrangements allowing Israeli airlines to fly into Dubai without passengers and return carrying stranded travellers. The operation required extensive security and aviation coordination between the two countries.

El Al flights delayed

El Al had initially planned to operate repatriation services on Friday but said the necessary permission for its flights had been withdrawn or delayed. Arkia and Israir, however, indicated that they had secured the approvals required to proceed.

The episode underscored the complicated security environment created by Wednesday’s incident. Israeli airlines operate under stringent security procedures, and additional arrangements were required before aircraft and crews could be sent to Dubai.

Israeli authorities warned passengers that schedules could continue to change because of the need for security coordination. Travellers were advised to monitor updates from their airlines rather than travel to airports solely on the basis of the original schedules.

The immediate priority was to restore a route home for those already stranded in the UAE while officials assessed when normal commercial services could safely resume.

Motive remains unclear

The investigation into the Flydubai incident, meanwhile, continued on Friday, with UAE authorities taking the lead and officials from several countries involved in aspects of the inquiry.

The co-pilot has been identified by Israeli officials as an Omani citizen. He and Machchhar were transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE on Thursday, with the wounded captain recovering in an Abu Dhabi hospital.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has alleged that the co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination”. He did not publicly provide evidence supporting that assertion, and investigators have yet to announce a motive.

A senior UAE diplomatic adviser, Anwar Gargash, described the incident as a “dangerous terrorist act” and praised the captain’s actions in preventing a catastrophe.

The investigation is examining whether the attack was premeditated and whether the co-pilot acted alone. As of Friday, no publicly established evidence had demonstrated that Iran directed or assisted the attack.

Trump warns Iran

US President Donald Trump nevertheless raised the possibility of Iranian involvement on Thursday. Asked whether he had received information pointing to a connection with Tehran, Trump said preliminary information suggested the answer could be yes but stressed that the matter was still being investigated.

Trump threatened a severe US response if investigators ultimately established that Iran was responsible. His remarks came amid the wider conflict between the United States and Iran and continuing attempts to find a diplomatic route towards ending the fighting.

The possibility of an Iranian connection therefore carries implications far beyond aviation security. However, officials involved in the investigation have not publicly produced evidence establishing such a link, and one Israeli official said there was currently no evidence tying Tehran to the attack.

Aircraft plunged mid-flight

Flight-tracking data has provided a clearer picture of the aircraft’s movements during the attack. More than two hours into the flight, the plane suddenly lost thousands of feet of altitude before climbing again and subsequently descending to around 15,000 feet.

The aircraft transmitted the emergency transponder code 7700, indicating a general emergency. It later transmitted 7500, the internationally recognised code for unlawful interference with an aircraft.

The plane eventually turned towards Tabuk in northwestern Saudi Arabia, where it made an emergency landing. Passengers and crew had intervened after Machchhar, despite being injured, managed to open the cockpit door, allowing the co-pilot to be overpowered.

Other qualified pilots travelling aboard the aircraft were then able to help bring the plane under control and land safely. Accounts of the precise sequence remain part of the investigation.

Security questions grow

The incident has focused attention on a vulnerability that conventional aviation security measures are not primarily designed to address — a threat originating inside the cockpit.

Since the September 11, 2001 attacks, reinforced cockpit doors and stricter access controls have become central to aviation security. The Flydubai episode has prompted renewed scrutiny of how airlines screen flight crews and how an aircraft can be protected when the potential threat is a person already authorised to enter the cockpit.

Authorities are also examining how the co-pilot was assigned to a Tel Aviv-bound service and whether existing vetting procedures were sufficient. The investigation could lead to changes in crew screening and security requirements on flights serving Israel.

Abraham Accords route hit

The suspension has also disrupted one of the most visible connections created after Israel and the UAE normalised relations under the Abraham Accords in 2020. Dubai quickly became a popular destination for Israelis and an important transit point for long-haul journeys.

Both countries now face the task of addressing the security questions raised by the attack without allowing the incident to cause prolonged disruption to their aviation relationship.

For the moment, the focus remains on getting stranded passengers home. But the larger questions — why the co-pilot allegedly tried to bring down the aircraft, whether anyone assisted him and what security failures allowed the attack to unfold — remain unanswered.