The German airline group Lufthansa announced that it is extending the suspension of its flights and that of all its subsidiaries to Israel until the beginning of November 2024. The decision applies to several airlines owned by the group, including Swiss, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines and Eurowings.
This decision follows the recommendation of the European Aviation Authority (EASA) recently published, which calls on European airlines to avoid flights to Israel until the end of October. Lufthansa offers passengers who are affected by the cancellations the option of canceling their tickets free of charge or rebooking. It should be noted that Lufthansa has already suspended its flights several times in the past year due to the security situation in the region.
Lufthansa is not alone, many foreign airlines continue the line of cancellations, including the Italian airline ITA Airways, which also announced that it will not return to Israel at least until the end of October.
Virgin Atlantic has also canceled its planned flights to Israel until April 2025. In the case of Virgin, those who have already purchased a ticket and their flight has been cancelled, will be able to receive a full refund or convert the ticket to an El Al flight.
These decisions reflect the complex situation in the aviation industry in the region and the consequences of geopolitical tensions on international passenger traffic.