Airlines Cancel Tel Aviv Flights Through Wednesday

Updated 7:45 p.m. EDT.

On Tuesday, the FAA prohibited all United States airlines from flying to or from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV). The mandate remains in effect “for a period of up to 24 hours.” The Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) does not apply to carriers outside the U.S., though many international airlines are choosing to suspend travel to Tel Aviv. The European Aviation Safety Agency plans to issue a bulletin by Wednesday with a “strong recommendation” that European airlines avoid Ben Gurion.

It was reported that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked United States Secretary of State John Kerry to restore commercial flights from the U.S. into Tel Aviv.

A rocket from Gaza landed in an area near the airport Tuesday morning, according to Israeli police. The rocket damaged a home and wounded one Israeli.

Following confirmation of the report, Delta diverted their daily flight to Tel Aviv, which was already in the air. The Boeing 747, traveling from New York, was over the Mediterranean when the pilots were instructed to turn around and land in Paris. The flight had 273 passengers and 17 crew on board.

United Airlines and US Airways voluntarily suspended their flights indefinitely following the incident.

“We are in constant contact with the FAA and are monitoring the situation closely,” said Casey Norton, a spokesman for American Airlines, the parent company of US Airways.

Lufthansa, citing security concerns, plans to suspend service to Tel Aviv for the next 36 hours. This decision also applies to the airline’s Germanwings, Austrian Airlines and Swiss divisions.

Dutch carrier KLM canceled Tuesday’s scheduled flight from Amsterdam to Tel Aviv. According to a KLM spokeswoman, Tuesday’s flight was cancelled “as a precaution because we can’t secure passengers’ safety.” The airline plans to “review the situation every day,” suggesting the possibility of future cancellations.

Air Canada also cancelled a scheduled flight from Toronto. The return flight, scheduled for Wednesday, has also been cancelled. It is unclear if any additional flights to Ben Gurion Airport will be cancelled. An spokeswoman says the airline is continuing to monitor the situation.

Brussel Airlines and Scandinavian Airlines System have canceled flights through Wednesday.

Air France has canceled their Tuesday night flight, as well as their first two out of three Wednesday flights to Tel Aviv. Alitalia, Turkish Airlines, Air Italy, Aegean Airlines, EasyJet and AirBerlin have also canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv.

Korean Air suspended all flights to and from Tel Aviv last week due to safety concerns, and they continue to do so.

British Airways flights to and from Tel Aviv are scheduled to continue operating normally. The airline currently operates two flights into the city daily, but a spokesman says that could change. “Safety and security are our highest priorities and we continue to monitor the situation closely,” the spokesman said.

According to Joël Lion, an Israeli diplomat, there will be a review of the defensive measure in place around Ben Gurion Airport on Wednesday. He claims that Israel has invited airline officials, including members of the American embassy and the FAA, to inspect on-site security.

[Photo: iStock]