Flydubai operates first commercial flight to Tel Aviv

Our Correspondent

 

The first scheduled commercial flight to Israel operated by flydubai from Dubai International (DXB) landed at Tel Aviv Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV) at 11.30am local time on November 26. On board the aircraft was a delegation led by Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer, flydubai and Israeli citizens,  flying home from Dubai.

 

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu along with a delegation that included the CEO of Ben Gurion International Airport Shmuel Zakay and representatives from the aviation industry welcomed them. Netanyahu called it “a moment of history.” “As-salaam alaikum (Peace be upon you),” he said to arriving passengers. “Come again and again and again”.

 

Welcoming the special delegation, Netanyahu said, “There will be many more flights” going both directions “but you can only be first once.” He added that “we’re flying with breakneck speed into a new era that is now clearly changing the Middle East” and “changing the future for our peoples.”

 

The inaugural flight, which was welcomed with a water salute, was flown by Captain Patrick Gonzenbach and Emirati First Officer, Abdulla Al Shamsi.

 

Flight FZ1163 took off from Dubai International airport at 9.40 am. It is the first commercial air service between the two countries after the UAE and Israel formally normalised relations on September 15 by signing the US-brokered Abraham Accords in Washington.

 

The Dubai-based airline will have two daily flights to Tel Aviv, and tickets are on sale for the first commercial service. UAE and Israel have agreed on visa-free travel for their citizens.