Why British Airways And Air France Have Suspended Their Flights To Tel Aviv?

On Sunday, British Airways and Air France suspended their flights to Tel Aviv following significant clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon.

British Airways announced it would halt flights to and from Tel Aviv until Wednesday, citing safety concerns, while Air France suspended its scheduled services to Tel Aviv and Beirut for Sunday and Monday.

A British Airways spokesperson stated, “We’ve been continuously monitoring the situation in the Middle East and have decided to suspend our flights to and from Tel Aviv until Wednesday, August 28. Safety is our top priority, and we’re contacting customers to inform them of their travel options.”

These suspensions followed Israeli airstrikes against Hezbollah in Lebanon, which were in response to a drone and rocket attack from the group. The hostilities are part of the broader conflict triggered by Israel’s ongoing offensive against Hamas in Gaza, following a deadly attack by the militant group on October 7.

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Air France, which typically operates daily flights to both Tel Aviv and Beirut, had previously suspended its Beirut flights from July 29 to August 15 but had continued service to Tel Aviv.

The airline’s subsidiary, Transavia, also suspended its flights to both cities. The resumption of flights will depend on a reassessment of the security situation, according to an Air France statement.

Additionally, Lufthansa extended its suspension of Beirut flights until the end of September and stated that it would not operate flights to Tel Aviv and Tehran until September 2.

Wizz Air, a Hungarian low-cost airline, also temporarily suspended its flights between London’s Luton Airport and Israel, according to the UK’s PA news agency. Virgin Atlantic, another major carrier, extended its suspension of daily flights from Heathrow to Tel Aviv until September 25 after conducting a security review.

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