Israeli carrier Israir said on Sunday it had reserved slots for commercial flights from Tel Aviv to the United Arab Emirates, preparing for potential tourism as the two countries move to normalize relations.
An Israir spokesperson said that they applied for permission from civil aviation authorities for the flights, and booked departure and arrival slots at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport while they await approval.
The carrier booked eight round-trip flights from Tel Aviv to Dubai International Airport throughout October, according to a flight timetable on the Israel Aviation Authority's website.
While Israel's flag carrier El Al Airlines has announced it will operate cargo flights to the UAE, it has not yet applied for permits for commercial flights, a spokesman said.
According to the carrier, the first flight, using a Boeing 747 jet, will travel to Belgium and from there to Dubai, carrying agricultural and high tech products. It will later become a weekly flight, leaving Israel every Wednesday and returning to Israel on Fridays.
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An El Al plane carrying the Israeli-American delegations for talks in Abu Dhabi
(Photo: Reuters)
El Al said the new route will be an "import and export" link to Dubai and further east.
Last week, El Al made history by operating the first official flight by an Israeli commercial carrier to the UAE, where officials held U.S.-brokered talks to finalize a pact to open relations.
Planes flying between the two countries will be able to fly over Saudi Arabia, significantly cutting down travel time, after the kingdom last week announced all services to and from the UAE can cross its airspace.