Lufthansa Resumes Flights to Israel After Three-Month Hiatus, Other Aviation Giants in Line
On January 8, 2024, the Lufthansa Group, including Lufthansa, Swiss, and Austrian Airlines, resumed flights to and from Tel Aviv after a three-month break. According to the specialized publication Aerotime, six other major international airlines — Air France, Bulgaria Air, LOT Polish Airlines, Vueling, Transavia, and TUS Airways — are planning to follow suit in January.
Currently, the Lufthansa Group is operating 20 flights per week to Israel, representing only a third of the pre-attack flight schedule that was in effect before the Hamas terrorist attack on the country.
"Companies take into account the crucial point that inbound tourism to Israel is absent, and no one knows when it will resume. Therefore, their decision is tactical, and investments are geared towards a long-term perspective, including preparations for Easter and Passover. Additionally, if a war breaks out in northern Israel tomorrow, Lufthansa will announce the suspension of all flights to Israel within six hours," said tourism and aviation expert Josi Fisher.
Low-cost carriers such as EasyJet, Wizz Air, and Ryanair have not yet made a decision regarding a return to Israel. For instance, Wizz Air has already canceled all flights to Israel until March 2024. American airlines, including Delta, American, and United, are also maintaining silence on the potential resumption of flights to Israel.
Carriers from Turkey, such as Turkish Airlines and Pegasus, have not declared their intentions to resume flights to Israel. The extremely strained relations between the countries following Israel's operation in the Gaza Strip play a significant role. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in particular, participated in large pro-Palestinian demonstrations and referred to Israel as war criminals.
It is worth noting that Israel did not close its airspace to civilian flights after the Hamas attack on October 7. However, many international airlines suspended their flights to Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv and to Lebanon.
Several local carriers in Israel, including El Al, Arkia, and Israir, continued their operations. Only a few international carriers resumed flights to Israel, including Ethiopian Airlines (to Addis Ababa), Etihad Airways (to Abu Dhabi), Flydubai (to Dubai), Uzbekistan Airways (to Tashkent), as well as Hainan Airlines (to China).
Recall that on October 7, 2023, Hamas carried out a massive attack on Israel, leading to the government's declaration of war on October 8. The first evacuation flight with Ukrainian citizens on board departed from Tel Aviv to Bucharest on October 14.