With Iran’s imminent threat of retaliation for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh not materializing, a growing list of international carriers have steadily been returning to Israel.
Virgin Atlantic has announced it will restart its service to Tel Aviv just ahead of the High Holidays.
The British carrier will initially operate one daily flight between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv beginning on September 25, down from its pre-Oct. 7 schedule of two daily flights.
Bookings are now available on the airline’s website, with connection options to destinations in the United States.
Virgin Atlantic plans to utilize larger aircraft on this route compared to its competitor British Airways, which currently employs narrow-body Airbus A321 planes for its Tel Aviv service.
To address ongoing security concerns, the airline will implement a brief stop in Cyprus for crew changes. Passengers will remain on the aircraft during this stopover.
However, the return leg will operate as a non-stop flight from Tel Aviv to London.
With Iran’s imminent threat of retaliation for the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh not materializing, a growing list of international carriers have steadily been returning to Israel.
Lufthansa Group recently restarted operations to Israel after a month-long hiatus. The group, which includes Lufthansa Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, Swiss, and Eurowings, will operate between six Western European destinations and Tel Aviv.
Other airlines that have resumed service include Ethiopian Airlines, Wizz Air, Bulgaria Air, Aegean, Air Europe, Iberia, Tarom, and LOT Polish Airlines.
However, some European carriers still remain cautious. Ryanair has announced it will not resume flights to Israel until at least the end of October.
The return of international flights is seen as a positive step for Israel’s tourism industry, which has been severely impacted by the ongoing war against Hamas.
Financial experts estimate the war’s economic impact at 198 billion shekels ($53 billion), with reduced growth forecasts for the remainder of 2024.
As more airlines return to the market, competition on popular routes is expected to increase. Currently, El Al holds a monopoly on direct flights between Tel Aviv and New York, with high demand leading to premium fares for return tickets during the holiday season.
Travelers are advised to check the latest travel advisories and entry requirements before booking flights to Israel as the security situation remains unstable.