TEL AVIV — Several international airlines have suspended flights to and from Israel after a missile fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels on May 4 landed near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport, rekindling security fears around the country's main air hub.
This new wave of suspensions comes as air traffic had begun to gradually resume since January, following the signing of a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. Many airlines had suspended their services for more than a year following the October 7, 2023 attack and the ensuing war in Gaza.
Here is an overview of the decisions taken by the carriers concerned:
- Aegean Airlines (Greece) has suspended flights to Tel Aviv until May 16, with a partial cancellation on May 17.
- AirBaltic (Latvia) has cancelled all flights until May 20.
- KLM (Netherlands), a subsidiary of the Air France-KLM group, has suspended its operations until May 30.
- Air India plans to suspend connections with Israel until May 25.
- Delta Air Lines (United States) indicated that its flights could be affected until May 25.
- British Airways (United Kingdom) suspends flights until May 14, while Iberia Express, its low-cost subsidiary, will not serve Tel Aviv before May 31.
- ITA Airways (Italy) has canceled its flights until May 18, and two more scheduled for May 19.
- LOT Polish Airlines also suspended flights until May 14.
- Lufthansa Group (Germany), including Lufthansa, Swiss and Austrian Airlines, is suspending flights until May 18.
- Ryanair, Europe's largest low-cost carrier, has canceled flights until May 21.
- United Airlines (United States) anticipates possible disruptions through May 18.
- Wizz Air (Hungary) has suspended flights until May 14.
The proximity of the Houthi missile strike to the airport has rekindled concerns about air traffic safety in the region, particularly amid ongoing regional tensions despite ongoing mediation efforts. Airlines cite "high operational risks" and are closely monitoring developments.
For Israel, this suspension represents a further blow to the economy and tourism sector, as the country attempts to restore some stability after months of conflict. It remains to be seen whether the increased security measures will be enough to reassure companies in the coming weeks.
