Major airlines including Air Canada have suspended flights in and out of Israel after the nation declared war following a massive attack by Hamas. Israel hit more than 1,000 targets in Gaza and Palestinian militants continued firing barrages of rockets, setting off air raid sirens in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Video posted online appeared to show a plume of smoke near a terminal at Ben Gurion International Airport.
Air Canada says it has temporarily suspended flights to Israel with the invasion of the country by Hamas and Israel’s declaration of war on Sunday. The carrier is one of many global carriers to halt service to the middle eastern country, where over 1,200 people have been killed in the fighting, including foreign nationals including at least one Canadian.
“Given the evolving situation in Israel, Air Canada is temporarily cancelling flights to Tel Aviv as of Sun, Oct. 8. We are monitoring this dynamic situation closely and we will adjust these plans as required. We remain in contact with the Canadian government. Air Canada will resume operations to Tel Aviv as soon as the situation stabilizes,” the airline stated on its website. Cancelled flights were listed up to Oct. 10 as of Monday. (Cancellation and refund details below).
Global Affairs reiterated advice that the more than 1,400 registered Canadians in Israel and 492 in the Palestinian territories limit their movements and shelter in place until it’s safe to leave, and provided phone numbers and emails for them to call for assistance.
International Flight Cancellations
American Airlines, United Airlines and Delta Air Lines suspended service as the US State Department issued travel advisories for the region citing potential for terrorism and civil unrest.
American suspended service to Tel Aviv through Friday. The airline said that it has issued a travel alert providing additional flexibility for customers whose travel plans are impacted.
“We continue to monitor the situation with safety and security top of mind and will adjust our operation as needed,” American said.
United said it allowed two scheduled flights out of Tel Aviv late Saturday and early Sunday and accommodated its customers, crews and employee travelers who were at the airport. The airline said that its Tel Aviv flights will remain suspended until conditions improve.
Delta said its Tel Aviv flights have been cancelled into this week. The airline said it’s monitoring the situation and making schedule adjustments accordingly. The company said customers with cancelled flights or who want to change their Tel Aviv ticket should check the Delta app, website or call Delta reservations to make adjustments.
Airlines in Europe and Asia also put flights on hold amid the hostilities, offering refunds and waiving rebooking fees for passengers.
Air France said that it has suspended services to Tel Aviv “until further notice” after coordinating with French and Israeli authorities.
“The airline is constantly monitoring the geopolitical situation in the areas served and overflown by its aircraft in order to ensure the highest level of flight safety,” Air France said in on its website.
Germany’s Lufthansa, which suspended flights to and from Tel Aviv until Saturday, said Monday that the decision regarding its planes and those of its subsidiaries was made “due to the still unclear developing security situation in Israel and after an intensive analysis of the situation.”
The Lufthansa Group includes Austrian Airlines, Swiss and Brussels Airlines as well as Lufthansa itself.
Hong Kong’s main carrier, Cathay Pacific Airways, said that “in view of the latest situation in Israel,” it was cancelling its Tel Aviv flights scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.
“The safety of our passengers and crew are our top priority. We will continue to monitor the situation very closely,” the airline said on its website, adding it would provide another update on Friday ahead of its third weekly flight on Sunday to the Israeli city.
Virgin Atlantic cancelled its service between London’s Heathrow Airport to Tel Aviv on Monday and Tuesday as well as part of that route on Wednesday.
Budget airline Wizz Air, which flies to Israel from Abu Dhabi and more than two dozen airports in Europe, said it was cancelling all flights to and from Tel Aviv “until further notice.”
The UK discount carrier easyJet said that “due to the evolving situation in Israel,” it has decided to “temporarily pause operations,” by canceling its Monday flights from London Luton and Manchester airports to Tel Aviv.
“Our thoughts are with those who have been affected and the safety and security of our passengers and crew is always easyJet’s highest priority,” easyJet said in a statement.
British Airways said it’s planning to continue operating flights to Israel “over the coming days with adjusted departure times.”
Dutch carrier KLM said it’s scrubbing flights to Tel Aviv “until and including Wednesday.”
EgyptAir flights between Cairo and Tel Aviv have been suspended indefinitely, while flights from South Sinai’s Sharm el-Shiekh to Tel Aviv were continuing to operate on Monday, allowing Israeli tourists to return home, Egyptian airport sources said.
Air Canada
Air Canada stated that passengers who wish to cancel an upcoming flight to Israel will receive full refunds. Those who currently have a reservation may also make changes to their itinerary if:
• The Air Canada ticket was purchased no later than Oct. 6, 2023, for travel Oct. 7-14, 2023
• The itinerary includes a flight to, from, or via Tel Aviv (TLV)
It added, “If you are scheduled to travel during the affected period, you can retrieve your booking to change your flight up to two hours before departure, free of charge, to another date between now and Oct. 21, 2023, subject to availability in the cabin you originally purchased on your Air Canada flight. Otherwise, any fare difference will apply.”
Tour operators
Meanwhile, on Monday, tour operators began to follow suit with Intrepid the first to announce that it has cancelled departures in Israel and the Palestinian Territories up until and including Oct. 31, 2023. All affected customers are being informed.
The tour operator says it had a small number of travellers in Israel when violence broke out on Saturday and that the majority were able to leave Israel over the weekend, with the remainder set to depart Monday.
While trips in Israel and the Palestinian Territories are paused, Intrepid stressed that tour departures in neighbouring Egypt and Jordan would continue as scheduled.