Israeli carrier Israir books commercial flight slots to UAE

TEL AVIV: 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 spokeswoman 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 webiste.
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.
Last week, El Al made history by operating the first official flight by a Israeli commercial carrier to the UAE, where officials held US-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.