Flydubai has suspended its Israel service after one pilot assaulted the other in the cockpit of Boeing 737 flight FZ1073 on 30 September, forcing a diversion to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

The Dubai-based carrier confirmed the route freeze will hold "while the investigation continues." A Flydubai statement said: "This temporary suspension will allow the relevant authorities to continue their work and establish all the facts surrounding the incident."

The airline added: "We are fully committed to supporting the ongoing investigation and maintaining the highest safety standards across our network. We remain in close co-ordination with government authorities, regulators and airport stakeholders and will review the suspension as more information becomes available."

What happened to flight FZ1073?

FZ1073, which codeshares with Emirates as EK2120 under the carriers' partnership, was operating a Dubai–Tel Aviv rotation on 30 September when the cockpit assault forced a diversion to Tabuk.

The Israeli Prime Minister has publicly characterised the incident as one pilot attacking the other during the flight. The Boeing 737 landed safely in Saudi Arabia.

Flydubai has not disclosed the identities of the crew involved, the extent of any injuries, or the rank split between captain and first officer. The investigation involves Israeli, Emirati and Saudi authorities given the diversion routing, and the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority is reviewing crew-risk protocols for the carrier's Israel operation.

The suspension applies across Flydubai's Israel schedule until the probe concludes, leaving Emirates' EK2120 distribution channel for the route effectively offline as well.

How does this reshape the Tel Aviv–Dubai corridor?

Tel Aviv–Dubai capacity had already thinned before the Flydubai incident. Israeli carriers El Al, Arkia and Israir withdrew from the route several months earlier, citing UAE security concerns.

All three have signalled plans to resume operations toward the end of 2026, though none has confirmed an exact restart date. The Flydubai suspension now removes the principal direct operator from the corridor and could delay those restart plans if the investigation extends into the winter schedule.

The EK2120 codeshare had given Emirates-issued tickets a Dubai-based option on the route; that channel is now offline alongside the operating carrier's flight. For Israeli passengers, the near-term consequence is the loss of a same-day Dubai connection pending the restart of Israeli-flag services.

How is Arkia responding?

Israeli leisure carrier Arkia is working to reassure travellers that its services meet "the highest security, safety and control" standards, particularly on chartered operations.

"Every flight operated using a chartered aircraft has an Israeli Arkia crew member on board," Arkia said in a statement. "Crews operating the flights are certified pilots of approved international airlines, and their operation is subject to the requirements and controls applicable to this type of activity."

The Israeli-crew guarantee signals how operators are pre-empting public concern following the Flydubai incident. Arkia is publicly detailing cockpit composition and crew vetting even on third-party aircraft, emphasising that its in-flight oversight extends to chartered operations.

What comes next?

Israeli investigators are examining the FZ1073 event as a criminal matter. Flydubai's return to Tel Aviv will depend on the conclusion of that probe and on the UAE General Civil Aviation Authority's reassessment of security protocols for the route.

With El Al, Arkia and Israir still targeting year-end UAE services and Flydubai's suspension formally under review, the corridor's winter 2026 schedule remains unsettled. Both Israeli and Gulf regulators face decisions on whether existing bilateral crew-vetting arrangements are sufficient to restore two-way direct flights before the end of the year.