13:05
Israeli flag carrier El Al flight/Reuters/ANI Photo
Israel's premier carrier El Al announced that repatriation flights intended to transport stranded citizens back from Dubai have been called off after the United Arab Emirates rescinded landing permissions for the services.
Overnight reports indicated that the UAE had revoked its clearance, though the transportation ministry initially stated that delays were anticipated but the journeys would still go ahead, as reported by The Times of Israel.
In an advisory featured prominently on El Al's digital platform, the company stated that "due to the cancellation of approval for Israeli companies to land in Dubai, as was reported by the authorities in Israel, we are forced to cancel, at this stage, our rescue flights (LY974-1, LY972) for tomorrow, Friday, October 2."
Scheduled services for the following week remain on the timetable, according to the announcement, though those departures are entirely booked out.
According to Channel 12, as reported by The Times of Israel, the official cancellation transpired after extended discussions involving high-ranking figures from Israel and Emirati officials failed to yield final pacts and authorisations for Israeli airline aircraft to touch down in the nation. -- ANI
