In the wake of Israel’s missile strike on Iran, airlines worldwide have canceled flights to Israel and are rerouting around significant sections of Middle Eastern airspace as tensions escalate. Iran has subsequently launched drones towards Israeli territory.
Major carriers such as Delta Air Lines and United Airlines have canceled all service to Tel Aviv until at least Saturday. Flights destined for Israel were turned back over the Atlantic, redirecting towards the New York area following the military action.
El Al, Israel’s national airline, has announced an indefinite suspension of its flights. The airline issued a statement saying, “Following recent security developments and in accordance with the instructions from the state’s security and aviation authorities to close Israeli airspace, all EL AL and Sundor flights are suspended for the time being.” This decision means that El Al will not accept new bookings until at least the end of June and has advised potential travelers to avoid Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv.
For travelers currently outside of Israel, El Al recommends securing accommodations until there is a change in security directives, adding, “Flights that were en route to Israel have been diverted to land at various EL AL destinations.”
Other airlines such as Turkish Airlines and European budget airline Wizz Air have also halted flights to Israel. Lufthansa, the German carrier, announced it would suspend flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran until July 31 and flights to Jordan and Lebanon until at least June 20.
In response to these disruptions, airlines are providing travel vouchers and waiving change fees for affected passengers. Heightened military conflicts in the Middle East and Ukraine continue to compel airlines to adopt longer, more expensive flight paths to avoid zones of conflict.
