UAE authorities are investigating an incident after two planes operated by budget carriers Air Arabia and flydubai were involved in a 'near miss' off the coast of Dubai.
The planes' onboard safety equipment alerted both pilots of their close proximity, enabling them to take action and continue their journey safely, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said.
The incident, which took place on April 22, involved a flydubai flight from Dubai to Doha and the Air Arabia service from Sharjah to Istanbul.
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“During that flight a situation developed during which the distance between the two aircraft as well as their relative positions and speed had been such that the safety of the aircraft involved may have been compromised,” the GCAA said in an emailed statement.
“Both airline crews responded as required and avoided any mishap and thereafter continued their journey to their intended destinations, uneventful,” it added.
The cause of the incident along with the closest distance between the two planes is expected to be released in a report soon, said GCAA.
Air Arabia and flydubai both confirmed that the incident had taken place but said they could not add further comment while it is under investigation.
“Our flight crew handled the situation safely and in a professional manner as per standard operating procedures. This has been instantly reported to the regulator and concerned bodies,” a spokesperson for Air Arabia said.
Flydubai said it takes “such events seriously” but could not comment any further at this stage.
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