JERUSALEM — September 30, 2026 — Flydubai will suspend service to Israel for six days beginning Thursday after the attempted hijacking of a Tel Aviv-bound flight by the aircraft’s co-pilot, while Saudi authorities continue investigating whether he acted alone or on behalf of a hostile state or terrorist organization. During the suspension, the affected service is expected to be replaced by secured Israeli aircraft.
The temporary measure was coordinated with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed. Israeli officials are also reviewing broader aviation security after the incident and are concerned about the possibility of copycat attacks.
Saudi authorities are continuing to interrogate the co-pilot to determine his motive and whether anyone else was involved. Israeli diplomatic officials cited in the report said they believe the choice of an Emirati carrier may have been intended to damage the Abraham Accords, though the investigation remains ongoing.
Flying From Israel During the Next Six Days? Here’s What to Do
Passengers booked on Flydubai from Israel during the suspension should first check their exact reservation rather than immediately buying another ticket. Flydubai says passengers affected by cancellations or qualifying schedule changes will be notified using the email address or phone number attached to the booking.
Passengers who booked directly with Flydubai can go into Manage Booking, enter their last name and booking reference number, and check whether the flight has been cancelled, replaced or moved. Those who booked through a travel agent or another airline should contact the company that issued the ticket.
If the passenger’s specific Flydubai flight is cancelled, they can generally choose to:
- Take the next available Flydubai flight to the same destination at no additional cost.
- Rebook another Flydubai flight within 30 days before or after the original travel date without a rebooking fee, penalty or fare difference.
- Decline the rebooking and request a refund. Under Flydubai’s general disruption policy this is normally issued as a Flydubai voucher, but passengers traveling to or from Israel may have stronger statutory refund rights under Israeli law.
Can You Get Your Money Back?
Yes, if your flight is actually cancelled, passengers covered by Israel’s Aviation Services Law may choose reimbursement instead of rerouting.
Flydubai’s own notice for Israel states that when a covered flight is cancelled, the passenger may choose between rerouting or reimbursement of the amount paid for the ticket, including applicable fees, levies, ancillary services, taxes and other obligatory payments. Flydubai says reimbursement under that provision is due within 21 days after receiving a written request.
But the refund is not unconditional simply because Flydubai announced a six-day suspension. Your own flight must be cancelled or otherwise meet the conditions under Israeli law. If Flydubai or another operator provides a replacement flight that continues to operate your itinerary, you should first check the options attached to your specific booking before cancelling on your own.
That distinction is important: do not simply fail to show up for the flight. A voluntary no-show can affect refund rights depending on the fare purchased.
Need to Leave Israel Tomorrow?
If you must travel during the six-day period, check Flydubai’s booking system immediately to see whether you have been moved onto one of the replacement flights. If your flight is cancelled and the replacement offered does not work for you, request rerouting at the earliest opportunity or reimbursement rather than purchasing another ticket first and assuming Flydubai will automatically repay that cost.
The six-day suspension is currently being treated as a temporary security measure while authorities investigate what happened aboard the Tel Aviv-bound flight and determine whether additional security measures are necessary.
JBizNews Desk | Jerusalem
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