Air France announced Tuesday that it will extend its suspension of flights to Israel until May 24, following months of disruptions caused by the ongoing security situation. The French national carrier had been expected to resume service this week.
Earlier in the day, Germany’s Lufthansa Group—which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings—also extended its suspension of flights to Israel until at least June 8. Lufthansa had planned to restart flights on May 26.
Lufthansa said it “regrets the inconvenience caused to customers” and is offering affected passengers free cancellations or rebookings. Several group-operated flights to and from Tel Aviv have been temporarily removed from June’s schedule, including routes LH682/83, LH690/91, and OS859/60.
Delta resumes direct flights, Wizz Air celebrates 21 years
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines resumed its daily nonstop service from New York’s JFK Airport to Tel Aviv on Monday. The airline stated that the decision followed a “comprehensive risk assessment,” and that it continues to monitor the security situation and adjust operations based on intelligence and security guidelines.
Hungarian low-cost carrier Wizz Air, which resumed flights to Israel last week, is celebrating its 21st anniversary with a week of special offers. On Tuesday, it announced discounts of up to 21% on bookings made via its website or mobile app.
Airlines that have extended suspensions
- United Airlines: Flights suspended through June 13.
- Air Seychelles: No return to Israel expected before August.
- Ryanair: Flights suspended through June 4.
- LOT Polish Airlines: Flights suspended through May 26.
- British Airways: Flights suspended through June 14.
- ITA Airways (Italy): Flights suspended through May 25.
- Air India: Flights suspended through May 25.
- Iberia: Flights suspended through May 31.
- Iberia Express: Flights suspended through June 1.
- Transavia: Flights suspended through June 24.
- Air Baltic: Flights suspended through June 2.
Aegean Airlines (Greece): Canceled its planned return at the last minute; no new return date announced.
easyJet: Has not flown to Israel since October 2023. Return postponed again—no flights to/from Tel Aviv until at least June 30.
easyJet said passengers with June bookings will be notified of their options, including refunds or rebookings, and added: “We continue to monitor the security situation in Israel closely.”
Other Carriers and Developments
Ethiopian Airlines canceled one flight from Addis Ababa to Tel Aviv and one return flight (ET404 and ET415).
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Air Canada, which had planned to resume service to Israel in June, has now announced it will not return to the market for the foreseeable future.
Are Passengers Entitled to Compensation?
According to aviation and tourism attorney Ehud Pei, passengers may not be eligible for compensation if the airline can prove the cancellation was due to a “security-related exceptional event”—such as the recent missile strike near Ben Gurion Airport.
Refunds and rebooking still apply
However, Pei clarified that even in such cases, airlines are still obligated to offer passengers a choice between a full refund or an alternative flight, as well as assistance, including hotel accommodations and meals until departure.
Tips for passengers
- Monitor airline announcements for cancellations or service resumptions.
- Lufthansa, for example, offers affected passengers free cancellations or rebookings.
- When booking with an Israeli carrier, check whether the plane is leased from another operator.
- Consider purchasing “ticket protection” (often called "Magen" or "Protect") from Israeli airlines, which ensures a refund in case of cancellations.
- Travelers stranded abroad should verify whether their travel insurance is still valid or requires an extension—some insurers renew automatically, but checking is essential.