i24NEWSOctober 14, 2020, 02:28 PMlatest revision October 15, 2020, 12:35 AM
‘Captain, we are delighted and honored to welcome you in the Israeli airspace,’ air traffic controller says
In a historic first, a commercial Etihad Airlines flight from Milan to Abu Dhabi crossed into the Israeli airspace on Wednesday.
The Israeli Transportation Minister released a friendly exchange between an Israeli air traffic controller and the captain of the jet.
“Captain, we are delighted and honored to welcome you in the Israeli airspace,” the ground control said. “This is a historic moment we have all been looking forward to.”
“Thank you, the honor is ours,” the pilot replied.
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The journey was made possible by a comprehensive aviation deal Israel and Jordan signed recently, enabling overflies over both countries.
Earlier this week, a senior Israeli official also said that an Israeli-UAE aviation deal was in the making, set to be signed in the coming days.
Two Emirati jets also landed in Israel earlier in the year to deliver coronavirus aid as the Jewish state and the Palestinians battled COVID-19 pandemic.
While the first jet arrived covertly, bearing no identifying marks, the second landed in clear sight, with Etihad insignia on the hull.
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Content retrieved from: https://www.i24news.tv/en/news/israel/1602699981-in-a-first-emirati-commercial-flight-crosses-israeli-airspace.