Flydubai suspends flights to Tel Aviv after incident in the cockpit

DUBAI, Oct 2 /ATSH-AA/ – Dubai-based airline Flydubai has temporarily suspended flights to Tel Aviv at the request of the authorities, following this week’s incident in the cockpit of one of its aircraft, the company’s chief executive said on Friday.

“At the request of the authorities, we have temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice,” chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith said in a statement published by the Dubai Media Office.

He said the company’s teams are working to assist passengers affected by the suspension and to help them reach their final destinations.

Al Ghaith also gave an update on flight FZ1073, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September when it was diverted to Tabuk in Saudi Arabia following a “security incident in the cockpit”.

He said all 172 passengers and crew members on board are safe and are receiving support.

The captain of the aircraft, who was injured during the incident, has returned to the United Arab Emirates after receiving medical clearance to travel, Al Ghaith said.

He praised the captain and the pilots “who secured the aircraft and landed it safely”, as well as the cabin crew and the passengers who helped during the incident.

Al Ghaith also thanked the Saudi authorities for their “swift and professional response”, as well as the authorities of the United Arab Emirates and other parties involved in helping the passengers and crew return home.

The flight was given permission to make an emergency landing on Wednesday at Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

A full official investigation led by the relevant authorities and supported by Flydubai is under way, he said.

“I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ1073,” Al Ghaith said, stressing that “it is important that we allow this process to establish the facts.”

Flydubai said there had been “a fight in the cockpit” and that crew members secured the aircraft before diverting it safely to Saudi Arabia.