The carrier announced the suspension after passengers from the Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight were taken onward following the emergency landing at Tabuk Airport. Flydubai said the measure was being taken in coordination with relevant authorities and would remain under review as investigators establish the circumstances of the September 30 incident.
“Following the incident involving flight FZ 1073 on 30 September, and in coordination with the relevant authorities, flydubai flights to and from Israel will be suspended while the investigation continues,” a flydubai spokesperson said.
The airline said the temporary measure would give authorities time to establish the facts and that it remained in close contact with government authorities, regulators and airport stakeholders. It apologised to passengers whose travel plans were affected and said it was working to provide support and alternative arrangements where possible.
Flight FZ1073 had departed Dubai International Airport for Ben Gurion International Airport when an altercation occurred on the flight deck. Flydubai said on-duty crew members who were travelling aboard the aircraft secured the situation, diverted the jet and landed safely at Tabuk in north-western Saudi Arabia. All passengers and crew were accounted for, the airline said.
Flydubai has not publicly assigned responsibility for the altercation or stated a motive. It urged against premature speculation while authorities gathered evidence, stressing that the causes and circumstances remained subject to an official investigation.
The UAE General Civil Aviation Authority is investigating what it described as a security incident. Israeli authorities are also examining the episode, while Saudi authorities dealt with the aircraft and those aboard after the diversion.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said one pilot had stabbed the other and had apparently attempted to crash the aircraft. That account goes beyond what flydubai itself has confirmed. The airline has acknowledged an altercation on the flight deck but has not endorsed public claims about motive or intent, making the distinction central while the official inquiries remain under way.
Flight-tracking data showed the Boeing 737 MAX descended sharply during the episode before diverting towards Tabuk. Accounts of the precise altitude change vary, but tracking information indicated a rapid descent from cruising altitude as the emergency unfolded.
Passengers described a sudden loss of altitude and confusion aboard the aircraft. Images and video from the aftermath showed injured people associated with the cockpit incident, but the airline said everyone on board was safe and accounted for after the landing.
The aircraft transmitted emergency signals during the incident. Israeli authorities responded to the developing situation before it became clear that the flight would land in Saudi Arabia. The diversion placed the aircraft at Tabuk rather than continuing towards its scheduled destination near Tel Aviv.
Flydubai arranged two replacement aircraft to travel to Tabuk as it worked to move passengers onward. A replacement service later carried passengers to Ben Gurion Airport, allowing their journey to be completed after the diversion.
The airline said the incident did not disrupt its wider network and that other scheduled services were operating normally. Its suspension applies specifically to flights serving Israel while the investigation is continuing.
The decision affects a route that has provided direct air connectivity between Dubai and Tel Aviv. Flydubai has not announced a date for restoring the services, saying the position will be reviewed as more information becomes available.
The carrier said safety and the wellbeing of passengers, crew and operations remained its highest priority and that it was fully committed to supporting the investigation. It also said it would maintain safety standards across its network while authorities carried out their work.
Investigators have yet to publish a definitive account establishing the sequence of events inside the cockpit, the reason for the confrontation or the intent of those involved. Flydubai’s statements have therefore remained narrower than some accounts issued by Israeli officials and passengers.
