Saudi Arabia Permits Air India to Overfly to Israel
Feb 7, 2018, 1:45 pm
#1
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Saudi Arabia Permits Air India to Overfly to Israel
This could be quite a game changer for Asia flights if Saudi Arabia starts allowing airlines to overfly its territory enroute to Israel... Presumably this will never apply to El Al...
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2...e-its-airspace
https://www.dailysabah.com/mideast/2...e-its-airspace
Feb 7, 2018, 4:17 pm
#2
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Story is denied by the Saudis. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-a...-idUSKBN1FR276
Feb 7, 2018, 10:42 pm
#3
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I wonder why the Saudis would object. People are going to continue to fly from India to Israel (and vice-versa) even without this arrangement. You would think that the Saudis would prefer that India makes the profits, not Israel.
Feb 8, 2018, 12:16 am
#4
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Feb 8, 2018, 1:07 am
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There's a difference between what they can say and do in public, and what they do clandestinely. I fully believe that the current Saudi government would support normalization and diplomatic ties with Israel, but their population wouldn't necessarily be applauding the government decision. Also, certain political figures in Ramallah would probably try to rally the entire Muslim world in an uproar against Saudi Arabia for doing so. With all the tension and fighting currently taking place between Sunni and Shia Muslims, Riyadh doesn't want to do something to endanger Sunni "unity," (not that Sunni Turkey is especially unified with Saudi Arabia anyway).
Feb 9, 2018, 2:38 am
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Moderator Note
Let’s keep this thread focused on travel topics rather than broad International Relations.
Feb 9, 2018, 3:57 am
#7
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The interesting aspect to me, is that even LY already fly's routes where they would have to land in an "unfriendly" country in the event of an emergency. So it is not a question of security at all, but just PR, Politics and pride..
Feb 10, 2018, 11:16 am
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Any route that flies over the red sea. E.g., LY82. They fly over Somalia, and just between Saudi Arabia and the Sudan. If anything goes wrong...
Shuly
Shuly
Feb 10, 2018, 12:10 pm
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Any route that flies over the red sea. E.g., LY82. They fly over Somalia, and just between Saudi Arabia and the Sudan. If anything goes wrong...
Shuly
Shuly
Feb 10, 2018, 12:16 pm
#11
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I believe that international law requires every country to honor a request from any plane to allow it to land because of an emergency. Of course, the country is allowed to set reasonable rules for the landing. This was the case a few years ago with an Iranian passenger jet sought permission to land in Israel. Israel agreed but sent fighter jets to ensure that the plane went where it was told -- which was to an Air Force base, not TLV.
Mar 1, 2018, 3:04 am
#12
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So the inaugural flight is supposed to be in 19 days but AI still hasn’t put out an official acknowledgement of the route and it hasn’t been loaded for booking.
looks like it may not happen after all.
looks like it may not happen after all.
Mar 1, 2018, 11:19 am
#13
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As a Saudi, I am all for Saudi and Israel normalising relations 100%. Infact, it’s a wish that I visit Israel.. by car too! However, without final & just peace with the Palestinians, we will risk having an internal mayhem. The likes of Qatar (and its AlJazeera) Turkey & Iran will use this as a way to destabilise our country. So the ball is in Israel’s court.. sort out peace and have a warm welcome to Saudi and all the GCC.
Mar 7, 2018, 7:39 am
#14
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Seems like it does happen after all: https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,73....html#autoplay
Mar 7, 2018, 7:56 am
#15
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Seems like it does happen after all: https://www.ynet.co.il/articles/0,73....html#autoplay
However, plz note something important here that underscores what I said previously.. the only media that is amplifying this story in the Arab world is the Qatar & Turkish media. By this they are trying to stir anti Saudi sentiment.. But it seems that MBS is replying with a “go to hell” attitude, and that’s refreshing!
