Dozens of Israelis touched down in Saudi Arabia on Saturday in an emergency landing due to the war in the Gulf.
They were being transported via buses to the United Arab Emirates, Israel’s Channel 12 reported.
The passengers were already onboard a flydubai plane at Israel’s Ben-Gurion International Airport earlier in the morning when the alerts announcing the start of the IDF’s “Operation Roaring Lion” blared on cell phones throughout the country.
The plane was scheduled to take off for the UAE at 8:30 a.m., but then the alerts began, a passenger was quoted in the report as saying.
The passengers asked to leave the aircraft but were told that it was against security protocols. The plane stood on the runway while the sirens sounded and took off some 40 to 50 minutes later.
While flying over Saudi Arabia, they were told that they needed make a stop for refueling, Channel 12 reported.
“No one believed it,” relayed a passenger who was not named in the report.
Later, they were told that they landed in Saudi Arabia because Iran was bombing Abu Dhabi.
Passenger Dana Nehemias said, “It’s very stressful, especially since we’re in a hostile country. We’ve been stuck here for hours and don’t know what they’re going to do with us.”
Another Israeli traveling with her family and young children related, “They’re not bringing us food and we don’t know what to do. We were afraid to fly in the first place,” per Channel 12.
Some 100,000 Israelis are estimated to be stranded abroad in the wake of Israel’s decision to close its airspace, according to the report.
El Al prepares for rescue flights
Israeli carrier El Al announced on Saturday night that it was making preparations for a broad operation to return thousands of Israelis abroad.
In a Facebook post, the company noted that once flight operations resume and security approvals are granted for rescue flights, customers holding an El Al card will be given priority for departures to Israel.
“At this stage, it is not possible to purchase tickets for our flights until March 21, or until all of our customers who hold flight tickets have been assigned seats. The suspension of sales is intended to provide full priority to our customers whose tickets were issued prior to the current situation, and to ensure their flights at the earliest possible time,” the statement read.
The airline emphasized that there is no need to travel to another destination worldwide in order to board a returning flight.
“Customers holding tickets will be automatically assigned to flights, and we will proactively update them regarding their new departure date,” El Al said.
Passengers whose flights were canceled due to the war are entitled to a refund or a travel voucher, the company added.
Arkia offers Athens-Taba flights
A day after Israel’s airspace was closed due to the war against Iran, the Arkia airline announced Sunday that it would operate special flights on the Athens–Taba–Athens route, via Electra Airways.
The price starts at $359 one way, not including baggage. A carry-on trolley costs an additional $20 and a suitcase $45, it said.
Arkia said the flights would use Electra’s Airbus A320 aircraft and are intended to enable passengers to cross overland from the Taba border crossing into Israel, as well as depart Israel via Taba on a flight to Athens.
The flights are available for purchase on the Arkia website and through travel agents only, the Israeli airline added.
