Airlines are canceling flights to Israel

Several international airlines announced at the end of last week the suspension of flights to and from Israel. The measure was taken after the conflict situation in the Middle East escalated, following threats from Iran and terrorist groups against Israel, after the IDF eliminated Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr in Lebanon, and after the leader was assassinated in Tehran Hamas, Ismail Haniyeh.

According to information published by the Jerusalem Post, at the end of last week, 10 airlines announced the cancellation of flights to Israel.

The Lufthansa Group, which includes Lufthansa, Swiss Airlines, Brussel Airlines, Austrian Airlines and Eurowings, has announced that it is canceling flights to Israel until August 9. Similarly, Air India, Delta and FlyDubai canceled their flights to Israel and initially said they would resume them soon. But on Friday, Air India announced it was suspending all flights to and from Tel Aviv until August 8, with immediate effect. The airline justified its decision in light of the current situation in the Middle East. People who were supposed to fly with Air India during this period will get a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges, the airline said in a statement posted on X.

United Airlines was the only airline that did not announce a date for resuming flights to Israel after canceling all flights.

We note that in the middle of last week, on Wednesday and Thursday, the Tarom company suspended flights to Tel Aviv, after the killing of the two leaders of the terrorist groups.

The companies decided to cancel the flights, although the Israel Airports Authority said that, given the current security situation, flights to and from Israel are still safe.

"Some foreign airlines are suspending or reducing their flights to Israel for internal reasons. Travelers should be aware that their return to Israel may be delayed, stay in touch with airlines and be aware of their flights. Ben Gurion Airport's flight schedule continues to be updated and foreign airlines are informing us of their activities in Israel in light of security tensions," Israeli authority officials told the Jerusalem Post.

Moreover, a senior Israeli aviation official claimed that the country's skies are safe and that the authorities will close the airspace on their own initiative if and when the situation really calls for it.

"The flights to Israel are safe," Shmuel Zakai, the head of the Civil Aviation Authority, told the quoted source, who recalled that Israel proved on April 13 and 14 - when Iran staged an unprecedented and almost entirely foiled missile attack and drones - "that when we assess that airspace is not safe for flights, we close it; this has earned us a lot of credit internationally."

He acknowledged that the cancellations announced by the 10 airlines are significant, adding that "flight crews are discouraged from coming to Israel."

We note that last Wednesday, after the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh, a Lufthansa flight that was supposed to reach Tel Aviv landed in Cyprus, because the pilots stated that the risk of going all the way to Israel was very high.

Israeli airlines El Al, Israir and Arkia have announced that they will continue to operate their flights as usual and are even preparing to add more flights if necessary to help Israelis stuck in European airports get home.

We recall that after the October 7, 2023 attack organized by Hamas in Israel and until now, foreign air travel to and from Tel Aviv has fluctuated, depending on the security situation in the Holy Land amid the war. Several airlines temporarily canceled flights in April when Iran launched a massive drone and missile attack on Israel, most of which were shot down by the IDF, as well as the US and Jordanian air forces.