Flydubai chief executive Ghaith Al Ghaith has praised the crew and pilots on flight FZ1073 for securing and landing the aircraft safely, and thanked passengers who helped them during the mid-air emergency.
Mr Al Ghaith was making his first public statement since an altercation aboard the Dubai to Tel Aviv flight forced the plane to divert to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday.
He said he was “relieved” to confirm that all 172 passengers and crew members on board were safe and receiving care and support. He also confirmed that the captain, Smit Machchhar, was in the UAE after receiving medical clearance.
“I want to express my deep gratitude to our crew, our captain, and the pilots who secured the aircraft and landed it safely. I extend our sincere gratitude to the passengers on board who assisted our crew during a challenging situation,” Mr Al Ghaith said.
After departing Dubai International Airport, Flight FZ1073 was diverted over Jordanian airspace towards Saudi Arabia and transmitted two emergency signals. According to flight-tracking website Flightradar24, the aircraft descended rapidly, before landing at Tabuk Airport in north-western Saudi Arabia.
Mr Al Ghaith thanked Saudi Arabia for its “swift and professional response” following the diversion. “I also thank the UAE authorities and relevant stakeholders for their support in helping our customers and crew return home,” he added.
“I know there are many questions about what happened on board FZ1073. A full official investigation, led by the relevant authorities and fully supported by flydubai, is under way. It is important that we allow this process to establish the facts.”
Following the incident, flydubai said it had suspended operations to Tel Aviv until further notice at the request of the authorities. Emirates airline has also suspended its codeshare operations with flydubai between the UAE and Tel Aviv.
Hamad Al Shamsi, the UAE's Attorney General, ordered an investigation to establish the circumstances of the incident, the motives behind it and assess whether there was a link to terrorism.
The airline said its teams were working to support passengers affected by the disruption.
“We are deeply grateful that everyone on board FZ1073 is safe,” Mr Al Ghaith said. He reiterated the airline's position on aviation safety: “Safety is, and always will be, our highest priority.”
