Emirates received the formal authorization from Ben Gurion Airport to start operating between the United Arab Emirates and Israel from January 2021.
It is not clear exactly when the flights will begin and how often they will be carried out, but according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation, the date is set to January 2021.
This date coincides with the announcement made by Emirates Flight Catering on September 17, 2020. The company signed a memorandum of understanding with CCL Holdings to start producing and serving kosher in-flight meals from January 2021. “We’ve been watching the global trends for kosher food, and with recent developments, we expect that demand for kosher food in the UAE and region will grow quickly,” Saeed Mohammed, CEO of Emirates Flight Catering said at the time.
The news follows an attempt to normalize diplomatic relations between the United Arab Emirates and Israel, following the signature of a historic agreement in mid-August 2020. Already on August 31, 2020, a flight was operated by El Al between Tel Aviv and Abu Dhabi, carrying government officials aboard a Boeing 737-900 dubbed “Peace Plane”.