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Flydubai CEO thanks captain, passengers for assisting crew ‘during a challenging situation’
Ghaith Al Ghaith said a full official investigation into the incident is under way, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by Flydubai
- PUBLISHED: Fri 2 Oct 2026, 6:15 PM UPDATED: Fri 2 Oct 2026, 7:27 PM
Ghaith Al Ghaith, CEO of Flydubai, expressed 'deep gratitude' to the crew, captain and pilots who secured the aircraft and landed it safely. He also thanked passengers who assisted the crew “during a challenging situation”.
In a statement, Al Ghaith said the captain of the Dubai–Tel Aviv flight has returned to the UAE after receiving medical clearance.
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“We will continue to provide everyone affected with the support they need,” he said.
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At the request of the authorities, Flydubai has temporarily suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice.
Al Ghaith said the airline’s teams were “working around the clock” to support disrupted passengers and help them reach their final destinations.
He also thanked the authorities in Saudi Arabia for their “swift and professional response”, as well as UAE authorities and other stakeholders for helping customers and crew return home.
Investigation under way
Al Ghaith acknowledged there were "many questions about what happened on board" the flight. He said a full official investigation, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by Flydubai, was under way.
“’It is important that we allow this process to establish the facts,” he said.
“Safety is, and always will be, our highest priority,” he added.
Flight-tracking data showed the aircraft transmitted a general emergency code and later an unlawful-interference code before returning to the general emergency code.
Emirati authorities are investigating whether the incident was linked to any terrorist activity or purpose or involved prior planning or direction, the UAE Attorney-General said.
The Tel Aviv route is a relatively recent one for the airline. As Khaleej Times reported at the time, flydubai began Tel Aviv flights on 26 November 2020, with a double daily service of 14 flights a week, following an air transport agreement between the two countries. The service later grew to three flights a day.
