Israel (Washington Insider Magazine) – As Israel braces for the retaliation that Hezbollah, Hamas, and Iran have sworn is coming, more airlines are canceling flights to the Middle East. On Tuesday, Tel Aviv’s airport saw cancellation after cancellation — and, in some cases, families desperate to flee.
Enav Graff, 35, from Rehovot, Israel, expressed her distress while waiting at the airport with her family and dog. “We are going to Portugal and do not plan to come back,” she stated, citing constant stress from potential rocket attacks and lost trust in the government’s response since October 7.
Airlines Respond to Tensions
There will be no flights to Amman, Jordan, or Irbil, Iraq, on the Lufthansa Group, which comprises Lufthansa Airlines, Swiss International Air Lines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, until Wednesday. There are no further flights to Beirut, Tehran, or Tel Aviv until August 12. Due to the geopolitical climate, Italy’s ITA Airways has suspended Tel Aviv flights through Thursday, while Air India has likewise suspended flights to Tel Aviv until Thursday.
According to WashingtonPost, Delta Air Lines extended its suspension of Tel Aviv routes until August 31. United Airlines was one of the first to cancel flights to Israel, indefinitely suspending its daily flight to Tel Aviv starting July 31, with decisions on resumption focused on customer and crew safety.
In response to the widespread cancellations, Israel’s Foreign Ministry has set up an online form to assist Israelis stranded abroad with no way to return home.
Staying Behind
Despite the cancellations, some Israelis remain steadfast. Shimon Asulin, 52, welcomed his wife, daughter, and sister-in-law back from New York at Ben Gurion Airport. The family, long-time residents of Sderot, expressed their determination to stay in Israel, trusting in divine protection and the Israeli army.
Airlines Resuming Operations
Amidst the cancellations, some airlines have resumed flights. After suspending flights over the weekend, Wizz Air resumed routes to and from Israel and Jordan on Tuesday. British Airways confirmed it continues operating flights to Tel Aviv as scheduled. Qatar Airways stated it had not suspended flights to Amman, Beirut, and Baghdad, dismissing reports to the contrary as misinformation.