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Active Saudi Arabia Flight cancellation / route change

Flydubai Dispatches Replacement Aircraft to Tabuk Following In-Flight Emergency Diversion

Flydubai flight FZ1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv diverted to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, on September 30, 2026, following a midair emergency. The Boeing 737 MAX 8, carrying roughly 170 to 180 passengers, landed safely after transmitting emergency squawk codes amid a reported cockpit altercation. Flydubai subsequently dispatched a replacement aircraft from Dubai to Tabuk to fly stranded passengers onward to Tel Aviv.

Published Source: thetraveler.org
Affected country
Saudi Arabia
Location / route
Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport (Tabuk) / Dubai-Tel Aviv route
Published by source
October 1, 2026 12:55 AM CST
Effective period
September 30, 2026 9:00 AM CST
Last verified
October 1, 2026 10:40 AM CST
Status
Active

Official guidance

Flight FZ1073 made an emergency landing at Tabuk; a replacement Flydubai aircraft was dispatched to transport stranded passengers onward to Tel Aviv.

Summary of official information. Always check the official source and follow the guidance of the authorities. UECN does not issue risk ratings; the absence of an alert does not mean that a destination is safe.

Flydubai flight FZ1073, en route from Dubai International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, diverted to Prince Sultan bin Abdulaziz Airport in Tabuk, northwestern Saudi Arabia, according to The Traveler. The Boeing 737 MAX 8 was carrying an estimated 170 to 180 passengers, many of whom were Israeli nationals.

Publicly available flight-tracking data and regional media reports indicated that the aircraft transmitted transponder code 7500, which indicates possible unlawful interference, and descended rapidly before turning away from Israeli airspace. Multiple international news reports cited a serious cockpit altercation that left both pilots injured, prompting Israeli Air Force jets to follow the aircraft until it touched down safely on Saudi territory.

Airport management in Tabuk stated through official communications that a distress call was received shortly before 9:00 a.m. local time. Flydubai confirmed in a public statement that the aircraft experienced an incident while en route and landed safely in Tabuk, reporting that all passengers and crew members were safe and accounted for.

With the original aircraft grounded for technical review and investigations, Flydubai dispatched a second aircraft from Dubai to Tabuk after coordinating with Saudi aviation authorities. The replacement aircraft was deployed to collect the stranded travelers and operate the continuation leg to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.

Revision history

  1. Active Published automatically from the official source

Sources

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