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Transportation Ministry

Travelers disembark an Electra plane at Ben Gurion International Airport. September 8, 2025. (Yossi Aloni/FLASH90)
October 7, 2026, 4:25 pm
Israeli airlines often lease foreign planes and crew, while leaving extra security behind
Loophole means passengers who think they are flying with an Israeli carrier can end up on another company’s plane, with no special screenings of pilots or stringent procedures meant to avoid situation like the flydubai attack
By Sharon Wrobel
Passengers wait in line to check in their luggage with flydubai at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, Israel, September 30, 2026. (AP Photo/Ariel Schalit)
October 7, 2026, 1:59 pm
Police said to probe 2 senior Transportation Ministry officials over flydubai failures
Dvir Rubinstein reportedly advised airlines, including flydubai, while also issuing their permits; Amir Cohen worked for Israeli carriers abroad, allegedly without approval
By ToI Staff and Nava Freiberg
Illustrative: Passengers at the Ben Gurion International airport near Tel Aviv, August 23, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
October 7, 2026, 4:04 am
Israelis could lose US visa waiver after flydubai attack revealed security lapses — report
US delegation said expected in Israel to review compliance with 2023 agreement; flydubai reportedly seeks OK to resume Israel flights, but Regev nixes idea; Transportation Ministry refused security help last year — report
By Stav Levaton, ToI Staff, Lazar Berman and Sharon Wrobel
An Arkia plane takes off at Ben Gurion Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, May 5, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
October 6, 2026, 5:22 am
Most Arkia and Israir flights use planes and crews leased from foreign airlines, in arrangement okayed by PM
‘Wet lease’ aircraft not subject to all of Israel’s stringent security protocols; Transportation Ministry sent security directives to foreign airlines day after flydubai attack, stressed that it is responsible for security of inbound flights
By Sharon Wrobel and Stav Levaton
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrives for a press conference in Jerusalem, March 19, 2026. (Ronen Zvulun, Pool Photo via AP)
October 5, 2026, 2:07 pm
The cost of Netanyahu’s consistent evasion of responsibility is paid in lives
From the 2021 Mount Meron disaster to October 7 and the flydubai hijacking attempt, the prime minister repeatedly ignores warnings and shifts the blame to others, with fatal consequences
By Tal Schneider
Former national security adviser Eyal Hulata speaks at an anti-government protest demanding the establishment of a state commission of inquiry into Hamas's onslaught of October 7, 2023, at Habima Square in Tel Aviv, February 21, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
October 5, 2026, 1:20 pm
Former NSC head pans Netanyahu’s ‘crooked’ flydubai probe, says buck stops with him
Eyal Hulata says Netanyahu should have stepped in after NSC warned in 2024, 2025 of inadequate checks for foreign airlines, says it’s same attitude he has toward Oct. 7 responsibility
By Jeremy Sharon, Ariela Karmel and ToI Staff
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu with Minister of Transportation Miri Regev in the Knesset on February 20, 2023. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
October 5, 2026, 1:27 am
Eisenkot, Bennett demand Regev’s ouster over security failures exposed by flydubai attack
Ministry reportedly hasn’t checked foreign flights for years; two key flight security officials said to do additional freelance work, one of them for flydubai and Emirates airlines
By Ariela Karmel and Nava Freiberg
A flydubai plane takes off from Ben Gurion airport on September 30, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/FLASH90)
October 4, 2026, 4:59 pm
Despite years of warnings, Transportation Ministry, required to check foreign flights, hasn’t done so
Former top ministry official blames Minister Regev for flydubai incident, but she denies responsibility; regional sources say Israel raised no red flags over crew
By Ariela Karmel and Lazar Berman
Transportation Minister Miri Regev attends a Likud party conference ahead of the party’s primary elections in the northern city of Haifa, August 4, 2026. (Sharon Leibel/Flash90)
October 4, 2026, 4:45 am
Regev passes buck on probing pilots, as Israel said ‘racing’ to ID more potential threats
As flydubai fallout continues, Transportation Ministry says flights aren’t 100% safe and it doesn’t do background checks on foreign pilots; report: Omani attacker had flown to Tel Aviv before but Israel knew nothing about him
By ToI Staff
An Arkia plane takes off at Ben Gurion Airport, outside of Tel Aviv, May 5, 2026. (Yossi Aloni/Flash90)
October 2, 2026, 10:58 am
Arkia, Israir indicate UAE rescue flights are a go after El Al scraps its Friday repatriations
Statement from Israel’s flagship carrier says its landing permit was revoked, but other Israeli airlines say they have the necessary approvals to fly
By Sharon Wrobel and ToI Staff
Passengers disembark from a flydubai Boeing 737 MAX from Dubai to Tel Aviv which landed at Tabuk Airport in Saudi Arabia, September 30, 2026. The rudder shows damage. The flight faced a terror attack mid-air, with the copilot subdued after stabbing the captain in an alleged attempt to crash the plane full of Israelis, September 30, 2026 (Social media: used in accordance with Clause 27a of the Copyright Law)
October 2, 2026, 1:07 am
Before flydubai attack, dozens of Omani pilots flew to TLV despite ban — report
Pilots from nations without Israel ties are prohibited from flying into country, but authorities reportedly trusted airlines to enforce rule and Shin Bet did no background checks
By ToI Staff
Parked airplanes at Ben Gurion Airport, August 8, 2020 (Olivier Fitoussi/FLASH90/File)
October 1, 2026, 7:36 pm
Israeli carriers to start UAE repatriation flights Friday after flydubai cockpit attack
After flydubai suspends Tel Aviv route, El Al, Arkia and Israir plan special flights to pick up stranded Israelis from Dubai; others seek return via nearby Cyprus and Greece
By Sharon Wrobel
Thousands of passengers wait at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv after operations shut down on August 20, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 30, 2026, 5:00 pm
Airport meltdown gives rise to worries that Ben Gurion overcrowding may be terminal
After years of political inertia, Israel’s main gateway may soon be regularly brought to its knees by inability to cope with growing passenger numbers; experts say a second airport is needed to avert crisis
By Sharon Wrobel
Thousands of passengers wait at Ben Gurion International Airport near Tel Aviv after a strike was announced, August 20, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/ Flash90)
August 23, 2026, 8:24 pm
Ben Gurion Airport and workers agree to ease post-strike backlog, but next crisis looms
Airports Authority and staff to relieve airport congestion, while union still warns of shortage of hundreds of workers ahead of the busy Jewish holidays starting next month
By Sharon Wrobel
Thousands of passengers wait at Ben Gurion International Airport during a strike, August 20, 2026. (Avshalom Sassoni/Flash90)
August 20, 2026, 5:10 pm
Wildcat labor strike brings Ben Gurion Airport to halt on busiest travel day of year
Airport back to full staffing but crowding and delays continue hours later; check-ins, arrivals were halted as workers protest personnel shortage; Netanyahu boots labor union’s leader out of Likud
By ToI Staff and Noam Lehmann
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