Flydubai Suspends All Israel Flights After Cockpit Attack Forces Emergency Landing in Saudi Arabia

Flydubai suspended all flights to and from Israel after a fight in the cockpit of Dubai–Tel Aviv flight FZ1073 on September 30, 2026 forced an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia. Israeli officials say the co-pilot stabbed the captain and tried to crash the Boeing 737; everyone aboard landed safely. Emirates has also halted its codeshare on the route while UAE, Saudi and Israeli investigators work out what happened.

What Happened on Flight FZ1073

Date: September 30, 2026 · Route: Dubai (DXB) to Tel Aviv (TLV) · Diverted to: Tabuk, Saudi Arabia

Flightradar24's tracking summary shows the Boeing 737 (registration A6-FKF) leaving Dubai at about 03:05 UTC and reaching 34,000 feet before a steep descent began near 05:21 UTC. The crew squawked 7700 (general emergency) at 05:28 UTC, briefly switched to 7500 (unlawful interference), and the aircraft levelled off near 15,000 feet before landing safely at Tabuk. Flydubai said an altercation occurred on the flight deck and that on-duty crew traveling as passengers helped secure it.

Minute-by-Minute Timeline (UTC)

Per Flightradar24: about 03:05 departure from Dubai; cruise at 34,000 feet; roughly 05:21 first steep descent followed by a sharp climb and another descent; 05:28 squawk 7700; a switch to 7500 within minutes; altitude stabilizing near 15,000 feet with oscillations; last ADS-B signal around 06:58 as the aircraft landed at Tabuk. The aircraft never continued to Israel; it flew a recovery profile and diverted to the nearest suitable airport in Saudi Arabia.

The Dive

Reports differ on the size of the drop. The National reports a descent of 14,000 feet in under 30 seconds, while other outlets cite larger figures. All agree the aircraft was recovered and landed without further injuries.

How Passengers and Off-Duty Pilots Regained Control

Aboard: 174 people per Israeli and U.S. outlets · Key actors: injured captain, passengers, off-duty pilots

According to Newsweek's live coverage, the wounded captain, Smit Machchhar of India, managed to unlock the cockpit door before collapsing, and passengers who heard screams rushed in and restrained the attacker with headphone cables. A dentist aboard treated the captain's head wounds, and off-duty flydubai pilots among the passengers helped land the aircraft, per the Times of Israel liveblog.

Flightradar24's summary lists 127 passengers and crew, while Fox News and others cite 174. Treat the headcount as unsettled until the airline or investigators publish a manifest figure.

The Captain Who Unlocked the Door

Captain: Smit Machchhar (India) · Condition: reported stable in a Tabuk hospital

Newsweek reports the captain was stabbed multiple times and used his last strength to open the flight deck door, which let passengers reach the attacker, and that he is in stable condition in a hospital in Tabuk. The National says Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu both praised his actions, and Netanyahu said he saved the lives of 174 people. Spellings of his surname vary across outlets (Machhar, Machchhar), and the co-pilot was also reported to have been hurt in the struggle.

What Officials Have Said

Israel: terrorism allegation · Flydubai: motive unknown · Saudi Arabia: co-pilot detained

Fox News quotes Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu saying a pilot stabbed the other and apparently tried to crash the plane, and Defense Minister Israel Katz calling it an attempted jihadist terrorist attack. Flydubai urged caution, saying the underlying reasons and motives remain unknown. Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot, reported to be an Omani national, for questioning. Those are allegations from officials, not findings of an investigation.

The Flydubai Suspension: Scope and Duration

Scope: all flights to and from Israel · End date: none announced

Flydubai said it has "temporarily suspended all flight operations to and from Israel" and will support the investigation, according to Onmanorama. FlightGlobal notes the carrier had been codesharing with Emirates on Tel Aviv, and that Israeli airlines had already paused UAE services before this incident. No resumption date has been given.

Emirates Halts the Codeshare

Effective: immediately · Reason cited: Israel Security Agency recommendation

Emirates suspended all flydubai codeshare flights to Tel Aviv until further notice, per Time Out Dubai's report and Gulf News. Onmanorama attributes the move to recommendations from the Israel Security Agency. Passengers holding Emirates-ticketed itineraries with a flydubai Tel Aviv leg should check with Emirates or their travel agent. The codeshare matters because it let Emirates customers book Tel Aviv on flydubai metal through a single ticket; with it gone, those itineraries have to be reissued or refunded rather than simply flown.

What Booked Passengers Can Do

Rebooking: next available flights within 30 days at no extra cost · Alternatives: El Al, Israir rescue flights

Flydubai is offering rebooking within 30 days, alternative dates under its disruption policy, and pointing travelers to Israeli carriers El Al and Israir for rescue flights starting Friday, October 2, according to Onmanorama. The National adds that travelers with Tel Aviv as their destination will not be accepted for travel from their origin point, so check in with the airline before heading to an airport.

Israeli Carriers Step In

The Times of Israel liveblog reports El Al plans to resume Dubai flights in November and Arkia is preparing two daily Tel Aviv–Dubai flights. Onmanorama says Etihad is expected to add Abu Dhabi–Israel capacity soon. Treat these as plans, not confirmed schedules.

Is Dubai Airport Still Operating?

DXB status: open · Disruptions: delays and cancellations on some routes

Dubai International remains operational, though IBTimes Australia reports delays and cancellations at Dubai and Abu Dhabi on Thursday and a reduced flydubai schedule on some routes. It also says carriers including Air France, KLM and Singapore Airlines have suspended service for various dates citing regional security. Those suspensions are separate from the cockpit incident, so verify your own airline's status.

Americans Aboard and the U.S. Response

Americans on board: 4 reported · U.S. assessment: no heightened threat reported

Fox News reports the passengers were mostly Israeli nationals plus four Americans, that U.S. officials coordinated with international counterparts, and that no heightened threats were reported. Israeli security agents were also sent to Dubai to help with passenger repatriation. For American travelers, the practical takeaway is narrow: this was an incident on one flight, but the airline and codeshare suspensions affect anyone ticketed on those services. Curly Tales also summarizes the Emirates halt for readers tracking their own bookings.

The Investigation

Lead bodies: UAE, Saudi and Israeli authorities · Focus: motive, planning, security lapses

The National reports that UAE Attorney General Hamad Al Shamsi formed an investigation team to establish the circumstances, motives and any terrorism links or prior planning, while the UAE civil aviation authority examines operational and security aspects. CNN's live coverage and NewsNation are tracking updates. Israel has announced tighter screening for pilots on foreign airlines entering the country.

What Is Still Unknown

Open questions: motive · pilot screening · manifest count · hiring checks

Motive is the biggest gap. Newsweek says Israeli officials are also examining whether the co-pilot's nationality conflicted with aviation agreements, since Oman has no diplomatic relations with Israel, but that is an open line of inquiry, not a conclusion. Reports on the number aboard, the size of the dive and the sequence of events vary by outlet, and early accounts often change as flight data and testimony come in.

Questions Investigators Will Likely Address

Investigators are expected to look at how the cockpit door was opened and secured during the fight, how the off-duty pilots were brought into the recovery, what the flight data recorders show about control inputs, and what screening and hiring checks applied to the co-pilot, who was reported to have been employed by the airline for about eight months. None of those answers is public yet. Airlines typically take weeks to months to publish findings in cases involving criminal inquiries, so the suspension could outlast the news cycle.

Why It Matters for Gulf–Israel Air Travel

Context: Abraham Accords air links · Pressure points: security, airspace, insurance

Israel's foreign ministry characterized the incident as an attempted terrorist attack targeting the Abraham Accords, per Sunday Guardian Live. It lands on a region already strained: we covered how US-Iran tensions keep airlines rerouting around Gulf airspace and how United and Cathay Pacific pushed Dubai returns into 2027. Expect fewer direct options and higher fares on affected pairs.

What Travelers Should Do Now

Do: confirm status · screenshot bookings · keep receipts

If you are booked on flydubai or Emirates codeshare to Tel Aviv, contact the airline or agent, document your booking, and ask about refund versus rebooking in writing. If you are connecting through Dubai or Abu Dhabi elsewhere, confirm your carrier's operating status, since AGBI and other outlets are tracking the airline's announcements. Consider travel insurance terms on conflict-related disruptions before you buy, and read our holiday airfare outlook if you are weighing rebooking costs.

People Also Ask

Did flydubai suspend all flights to Israel?

Yes. Flydubai said it has temporarily suspended all operations to and from Israel following the FZ1073 incident on September 30, 2026. No restart date has been announced, and the airline says it is supporting the investigation.

Where did flydubai flight FZ1073 land?

FZ1073 made an emergency landing at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia after a cockpit altercation on its way from Dubai to Tel Aviv. Replacement aircraft were sent to carry the stranded passengers and crew onward.

Who was the pilot arrested?

Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot, reported by Israeli officials and multiple outlets to be an Omani national, for questioning. His motive has not been confirmed by investigators, and flydubai says the underlying reasons remain unknown pending the probe.

Is Emirates still flying to Tel Aviv?

Emirates suspended its codeshare flights with flydubai to Tel Aviv until further notice, reportedly on advice from the Israel Security Agency. Check your ticket with Emirates or your travel agent, because codeshare bookings are the ones affected.

Can I get a refund or rebook?

Flydubai is offering free rebooking on the next available flights within 30 days or alternative dates under its disruption policy. Refund terms depend on your fare and ticketing carrier, so contact flydubai or your agent directly and keep your documentation.

Is it safe to fly through Dubai right now?

Dubai International is open and operating, though some delays and cancellations have been reported. The incident involved one flight and is under investigation, while separate regional security concerns have led some carriers to suspend service, so check your own airline's status before travel.

Are Israeli airlines flying to the UAE?

Israeli carriers had paused UAE services before the incident, but El Al reportedly plans to resume Dubai flights in November and Arkia is preparing two daily Tel Aviv–Dubai flights. These are announced plans and may change, so confirm schedules with the airline.

Facts in this article were checked against current news sources as of October 2, 2026; details are still developing, so confirm with your airline before booking or traveling.