Flydubai suspends Tel Aviv flights, launches probe into FZ1073 incident

Flydubai has temporarily suspended its operations to Tel Aviv until further notice at the request of relevant authorities, as an official and comprehensive investigation is underway into an incident involving flight FZ1073, which was en route from Dubai to Tel Aviv before being diverted to Saudi Arabia.

In a statement on Friday, Flydubai CEO Ghaith Al Ghaith said: "It is important that we allow this process to uncover the facts," noting that an official investigation is currently being conducted into a "safety-related incident" that occurred in the aircraft's cockpit.

Al Ghaith explained that the flight was diverted on September 30 to land at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia "following a security incident in the cockpit," confirming that all 172 passengers and crew members were safe.

He added that the pilot returned to the UAE after receiving the necessary medical evaluation, and that the airline "continues to provide full support to those affected."

Al Ghaith thanked the pilot who took command of the aircraft, the standby pilots who secured and safely landed the plane, and the cabin crew. He also expressed gratitude to the passengers who assisted the crew during the incident.

He also thanked the relevant authorities in Saudi Arabia for their "swift and professional response," as well as authorities in the UAE for supporting passengers and airline staff during their safe return.

The CEO stated that Flydubai teams "are working around the clock to support affected passengers and help them reach their final destinations," emphasizing that the suspension of flights to Tel Aviv was "at the request of the relevant authorities."

Al Ghaith added: "I know there are many questions about what happened on board the flight. There is a full official investigation by the relevant authorities with Flydubai's full support. It is important to let this process uncover the facts."