Air France will resume its daily service to Tel Aviv starting Tuesday, even as other major airlines continue to suspend flights to Israel due to ongoing regional instability.
The French national airline announced that it will restart non-stop flights to and from Tel Aviv on May 27, operating with a Boeing 777-300. This marks a full return to routine operations after flights were paused amid heightened geopolitical tensions.
In a statement, Air France reiterated its focus on safety, explaining that it is “constantly monitoring developments in the geopolitical situation in the region to ensure the highest level of flight safety and security.”
Alon Netah, who oversees Air France operations in Israel, expressed optimism over the return of the airline’s service.
“We are happy and excited to resume regular Air France flight services on the route to Israel,” said Netah. He highlighted that Israeli travelers will now once again have access to Air France’s global network via Charles de Gaulle Airport, “just in time for the holiday of Shavuot.”
While Air France prepares to re-enter the Israeli market, many other global carriers are maintaining their flight suspensions.
The Lufthansa Group—which includes Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings—has extended its halt of all Tel Aviv flights through June 15.
“Following a situation assessment, the Lufthansa Group is extending the suspension of all its flights to and from Tel Aviv,” a company spokesperson said Monday. The group had originally stopped operations earlier this month in response to a missile strike by the Houthis. Impacted customers are being offered free ticket changes or cancellations.
Italy’s ITA Airways is also keeping its flights grounded until at least June 15, while Iberia Express from Spain has pushed its suspension through June 7.
Numerous other international carriers have not yet announced when they intend to restart their Israel-bound routes, having ceased flights in the wake of the Houthi missile incident near Ben Gurion Airport.
British Airways, in a recent update on Friday, said it is halting all flights to Israel until at least August 1, pointing to “security concerns” due to continued unrest in the region.
Ryanair, a major European budget airline, stated that it will not fly to Israel before June 4. Its CEO, Michael O’Leary, voiced his frustration with the ongoing volatility.“If these security disruptions continue, frankly, we’d be better off sending our aircraft elsewhere in Europe,” O’Leary said last week.
{Matzav.com}