Why Did Flydubai Flight FZ1073 Divert to Tabuk? The Unanswered Question Behind Its Flight Path

The decision to divert Flydubai flight FZ1073 to Tabuk, Saudi Arabia, has raised questions about why the aircraft bypassed several geographically closer airports during its emergency diversion.

The central question surrounding the incident is no longer simply why the aircraft made an emergency landing, but why its crew specifically chose Tabuk despite having several closer alternatives.
At the time the aircraft turned and began flying eastward, a number of airports were geographically closer than Tabuk:

Queen Alia International Airport, Jordan: 135 km
Marka Airport, Jordan: 149 km
Ben Gurion Airport, Israel: 243 km
Ramon Airport, Israel: 269 km
King Hussein International Airport, Aqaba, Jordan: 277 km
Tabuk Airport, Saudi Arabia: 319 km

Based on these reported distances, Queen Alia was approximately 184 km closer than Tabuk, while Ben Gurion, the aircraft’s original destination, was around 76 km closer.

However, the aircraft’s flight path adds another layer of uncertainty.
Rather than initially heading towards Tabuk, the aircraft was reportedly travelling westward in the direction of Jordan and Israel before making a turn and reversing course towards Saudi Arabia.

Published reports also indicated that an alternate crew had regained control of the aircraft, while Israeli fighter jets moved to escort it.

These reported developments raise further questions about the operational circumstances surrounding the diversion. If control had been restored, what factors determined the decision to continue eastward rather than land at one of the closer airports?

Geographical distance alone cannot explain the choice. Airport suitability, airspace restrictions, aircraft condition, emergency procedures, security considerations and coordination with air traffic control could all have influenced the decision. However, without verified operational records, it is not possible to establish which, if any, of these factors played a decisive role.

The precise reasons for the diversion have yet to be established publicly.

Air traffic control recordings, flight data, cockpit voice recordings and the findings of any official investigation could help reconstruct the sequence of decisions and clarify why Tabuk was selected over the geographically closer alternatives.

Until such evidence becomes available, the aircraft’s eastward turn and its eventual diversion to Tabuk remain among the most significant unanswered questions surrounding the Flydubai FZ1073 incident.