Arkia, Israir indicate UAE rescue flights are a go after El Al scraps its Friday repatriations

Whether Israelis stranded in the United Arab Emirates would be able to return home on Friday remained up in the air as of mid-morning, with one Israeli carrier canceling its flights while two others said they planned to proceed with their itineraries.

Airlines El Al, Arkia and Israir were set to begin rescue flights on Friday after the UAE canceled all flights to Israel following Wednesday’s attack by a copilot on a flydubai route to Ben Gurion Airport. Every day of flight suspensions was expected to leave at least 1,700 Israelis stranded in the Gulf state, according to a travel executive.

Following reports overnight that the UAE had canceled its authorization for the Israeli rescue flights, Israel’s Transportation Ministry said early Friday that the flights would go ahead, but that delays were expected as defense officials “complete the necessary preparations and coordination.”

But hours later, reportedly following hours of negotiations, the country’s flagship carrier El Al said it had canceled two planned rescue flights because Israeli airlines’ landing permits were revoked.

El Al, which had been slated to operate two rescue flights on Friday, later said authorities in Israel had informed Israeli carriers that the airlines’ authorization to land in Dubai had been canceled. Five sold-out rescue flights planned for next week are still expected to go forward, the statement said. The statement did not cite a reason for the cancelation of the landing permits on Friday.

Arkia and Israir, meanwhile, said that they expected to operate their Friday flights. The reason for the discrepancy between the airlines appears to be that El Al has a policy of not flying on Shabbat, which begins at sundown, giving it less time to sort out logistical issues. The Israir and Arkia flights are scheduled for later in the day.

Arkia said on Friday that it had received all necessary approvals from the United Arab Emirates and would operate a repatriation flight in the evening from Dubai to Tel Aviv.

“Following extensive discussions and intensive efforts by all parties involved, Arkia has received necessary approvals to operate flights from Dubai and will operate one flight today and another one tomorrow,” the airline said.

Arkia said it is working to schedule three additional flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv over the weekend — beyond those already planned.

And Israir said on Friday morning that it had received necessary approvals from Dubai International Airport to start operating a repatriation flight. But it also indicated that it wasn’t yet selling tickets and added, without elaborating, that it was still waiting for additional confirmation.

“However, the flight has not yet been opened for sale, as Israir is acting responsibly and awaiting confirmation from all parties involved in the flight’s operation,“ the airline said in a statement.

El Al still plans to operate rescue routes beginning Sunday and running through the week, and said that once it has authorization to land in Dubai it is “prepared to carry out the special flights to Dubai and bring the Israelis home as soon as possible.”

The airline said it was working to seat ticket-holders on alternative flights “to the extent made possible by the relevant authorities.” Passengers whose tickets were canceled could also opt to receive a cash refund or a voucher for a later flight, the airline added.

Flydubai had operated eight to ten daily flights from Dubai to Tel Aviv until the attack on Flight 1073 on Wednesday, when an Omani copilot stabbed the Indian captain and the plane plummeted.

The attack was thwarted by the captain and Israeli passengers, and other pilots on board took control of the plane and made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia.

Israeli passengers on the plane were brought home on a special repatriation flight from Saudi Arabia, which does not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Indian captain has been sent from Saudi Arabia to the UAE for medical treatment, while the Omani co-pilot was sent to Abu Dhabi for the investigation.

On Thursday, the UAE said it had launched an investigation into possible “terrorist activity” on the flight but that it had not ruled out mental illness as the reason for the hijacking.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted that the Omani co-pilot had undergone “Islamist radical indoctrination,” reportedly angering Emirati officials who were irked by what they saw as a premature determination. The premier also said it was “too early” to tell whether Iran was involved in the attack.

Netanyahu’s spokesman David Mencer said that, with the co-pilot transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE, Israel “can now join the UAE’s investigation team and get precise knowledge of what his motives were, who was behind him, what his plans were.”