Israel and the UAE have signed an aviation agreement, which will allow up to 112 weekly flights between the two countries, not 28 as previously reported. The 28 weekly flights applies to the combined number of flights that Etihad Airways will operate between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi and Emirates will operate between Tel Aviv and Dubai.
But in total 112 weekly slots will be allocated to the Tel Aviv - UAE route, which will also include flights by Israeli carriers, low cost UAE carriers like Fly Dubai and other low cost carriers like Wizz Air, which has a base in Dubai.
When global travel returns to normal Turkish Airways, which formerly operated 14 daily flights from Ben Gurion airport to Istanbul, mainly for connection flights, will face tough competition from Emirates and Etihad Airways which will offer connection flights to India, East Asia, Australia, and even North America and Latin America.
A senior UAE official told "Globes" that from the second quarter of 2021, if a Covid-19 vaccination is available by then, it will be difficult to find seats on flights between the two countries even with 112 flights per week. From August 2021, the number of weekly flights can be increased, if there is demand.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on October 20, 2020
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