Dubai: International airlines are suspending flights to Israel and neighboring regions as tensions escalate in the Middle East, raising serious security concerns.
British Airways and Ryanair are among the carriers halting services to Tel Aviv and Amman, with many airlines also rerouting flights to avoid dangerous airspace.
The suspensions are expected to affect thousands of passengers, with airlines offering refunds or alternative travel options as the situation continues to develop.
British Airways - On Thursday, British Airways announced that it would suspend its daily return flights between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv until at least 26 October 2024. British Airways has yet to confirm a specific date for the resumption of services, leaving travellers uncertain about future travel plans.
Ryanair - Irish budget airline Ryanair also announced the suspension of flights to Israel on Thursday, with services halted until at least the end of January 2025 and potentially extended until March.
Ryanair CEO Michael O’Leary explained that the decision was driven by the risks associated with flying to the region. “We can’t take the risk of flying our aircraft, crew, or passengers to that area in the Middle East,” O’Leary said.
In addition to suspending flights to Tel Aviv, Ryanair also halted its four weekly flights to Amman, the capital of Jordan. This includes two routes from Madrid and two from Charleroi, Belgium.
AEGEAN AIRLINES - Greek airline cancelled flights to and from Beirut until October 31 and to and from Tel Aviv until Sunday
Air Algerie - Algerian airline suspended flights to and from Lebanon until further notice
AirBaltic - Latvia's airBaltic cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 31
Air Europa - Spanish airline cancelled flights to Tel Aviv until Wednesday
Air France -KLM - Air France on Monday suspended Paris-Tel Aviv and Paris-Beirut flights until October 8
KLM - Cancelled all flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 26, with the Franco-Dutch group's low-cost unit Transavia cancelling flights to and from Tel Aviv until March 31, 2025, and flights to Amman and Beirut until November 3
Air India - Indian flag carrier suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until further notice
Cathy Pacific - Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific cancelled all flights to Tel Aviv until March 27, 2025
Delta Air Lines - US carrier paused flights between New York and Tel Aviv through December 31
Easy Jet - UK budget airline stopped flying to and from Tel Aviv in April and will resume flights on March 30, 2025, a spokesperson said
Emirates - UAE's state-owned airline cancelled flights between Dubai and Beirut until October 8
FlyDubai - The Emirati airline on Monday cancelled Dubai-Beirut flights until October 6
IAG - IAG-owned British Airways cancelled flights to and from Tel Aviv through October 7, the airline said in an e-mailed comment
Iran Air - The Iranian airline cancelled all flights to Beirut until further notice, a company spokesman told local media including the Tasnim news agency on September 28
Iraqi Airways - The Iraqi national carrier suspended flights to and from Beirut until further notice, Iraq's transportation ministry said
ITA Airways - Italy's ITA Airways extended the suspension of Tel Aviv flights through October 31
LOT - Polish flag carrier suspended flights to Lebanon until further notice, it said in an emailed comment on September 20
Lufthansa Group - The German airline group, which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings, on Tuesday extended the suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 31 and Beirut until November 30; flights to Tehran are suspended until October 14 for the group and until October 26 for the Lufthansa airline
Pegasus - Turkish airline cancelled flights to Beirut until October 7, a company spokesperson said.
Qatar Airways - The Qatari airline temporarily suspended flights to and from Beirut until further notice
Sundair - German airline cancelled Berlin-Beirut and Bremen-Beirut flights until October 31
SunExpress - Joint venture between Lufthansa and Turkish Airlines, suspended flights to Beirut through December 17
United Airlines - Chicago-based airline suspended flights to Tel Aviv for the foreseeable future due to security reasons
Virgin Atlantic - UK airline extended the pause of its flights to and from Tel Aviv until the end of March 2025, a spokesperson said in an e-mailed comment
Vuelin- Spanish low-cost carrier cancelled operations to Tel Aviv until January 12, 2025, while flights to Amman were cancelled until further notice
Airlines reroute flights
In addition to suspensions, many international airlines are avoiding Iranian, Iraqi, and Jordanian airspace due to the risk posed by the conflict.
For example, Abu Dhabi's Etihad Airways is rerouting some of its flights as a precaution, and FlyDubai has temporarily cancelled flights to Jordan, Iraq, Israel, and Iran due to airspace closures.
United Airlines has also indefinitely suspended flights to Tel Aviv, while EasyJet has halted flights to Israel until March 2025.
Airlines offer refunds and alternative arrangements
Amid widespread cancellations, affected passengers are being offered refunds or alternative travel options.
Both British Airways and Ryanair have reassured customers that they are monitoring the situation closely and will restart services as soon as it is safe to do so.
Michael O'Leary of Ryanair expressed the airline's eagerness to resume flights once the situation stabilises, saying, "If there is a ceasefire, we will restart our flights to Tel Aviv pretty quickly, and to Amman."
Disruption expected to continue as tensions rise
As the conflict in the Middle East shows no signs of abating, airlines worldwide are continuing to monitor the situation closely.
Travellers planning to visit the region are advised to stay updated with the latest developments from airlines and authorities, as further disruptions are likely.
With many airlines suspending services indefinitely, the impact on international travel is expected to continue for the foreseeable future.