At the height of renewed upheaval in the aviation industry, and as many foreign airlines remain wary of returning to Israel, British Airways announced that it will resume flights from Ben Gurion Airport on October 25.
The airline will operate a daily route between London and Tel Aviv. Iberia, part of the same airline group, is also returning and will operate a daily flight to Madrid.
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“British Airways’ return to operations in Israel is signific ant news far beyond the resumption of the London route,” said Tamar Gerzon, CEO of the Gulliver tourism company. “It represents a significant strengthening of Israel’s air connectivity with the world, with London serving as a major gateway to many destinations in Europe, North America and the Far East. For Israeli passengers, this means more options, greater flexibility in planning flight itineraries and, above all, a broader range of flights and destinations.”
She added: “The more foreign airlines return to Israel and expand their route offerings, the more competitive the market becomes, and the Israeli consumer is the main beneficiary — both in terms of the range of options and the potential for more attractive prices. In addition, the return of international airlines is a positive indication of the recovery of Israel’s tourism industry and the strengthening of Israel’s air links with the world.”
British Airways canceled its flights to Israel during Operation Roaring Lion and has not flown to Ben Gurion Airport since. Its return comes shortly after Delta and United Airlines resumed service to Israel last month, while Air India has announced that it will return in December.