Airlines Begin Resuming Flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut

KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Wizz Air, and SAS Scandinavian Airlines are among the first carriers to resume scheduled flights to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport, as the security situation in the Middle East shows signs of improvement.

Wizz Air restarted services on May 15 from multiple European cities to Tel Aviv, returning less than two weeks after a missile strike near the airport. KLM will follow on May 31, resuming flights from Amsterdam Schiphol after an 11-month suspension. SAS will reenter the Israeli market for the first time in nine years, launching flights from Copenhagen Kastrup to Tel Aviv starting October 26.

However, many airlines remain cautious. United Airlines has extended its Tel Aviv suspension until at least mid-June. According to The Times of Israel, 20 unnamed foreign airlines have sent a letter to the Ministry of Transportation, requesting changes to Israel’s passenger compensation policies before resuming service.

Flights to Beirut are also set to resume. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi plans to restart operations to Beirut from Abu Dhabi International on June 4. SAS will launch flights from Copenhagen on June 6, while LOT Polish Airlines will begin direct service from Warsaw Chopin to Beirut on July 1.

Airlines have repeatedly halted flights to Tel Aviv and Beirut over the past 18 months due to heightened regional tensions. The conflict that began with the October 7, 2023, Hamas-Israel war evolved into a broader regional crisis, causing widespread flight suspensions and rerouting across the region.

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Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, bing.com, ch-aviation.com