Action plan if my TLV-BOS flight [bonus ticket] is cancelled?
 

Reading about the El Al cancellation crisis in the news, I'm feeling a bit panicked about my TLV-BOS flight in a bit over a week. What does El Al offer customers when TLV-BOS flights are cancelled, and what are my rights?

In particular, El Al's TLV-BOS flight is the ONLY nonstop TLV-BOS flight, so am I owed compensation if I'm re-booked on an itinerary that includes a stop?

I'm very concerned that El Al has the right to simply "refund" me and say "tough luck, find your own way to Boston!" I paid for my flight with points, half of which I redeemed from AmEx Membership Rewards and half of which I bought from El Al. If El Al simply gives me back the Matmid points, that would be a nightmare scenario for me, since I redeemed my MR points and bought the Matmid points solely for this flight.

I came across this document explaining Israel's Aviation Services Law (Compensation and Assistance for Flight Cancellation or Change of Conditions) in English, but I find it unclear:
https://www.elal.com/SiteCollectionD...icesLawENG.pdf

As someone who successfully submitted an EU 261 claim, I don't feel reassured by this and am having difficulties understanding my rights. of course, it's almost 5AM, and I need to go to sleep, so maybe it will be clearer tomorrow!

thanks for any advice you may have :)

Since Israel is not part of the EU you should not expect protections under or equivalent to EU-261. The Israeli travel consumer protect laws aren't as broad as the EU rule but they do provide many levels of protection.
LY may offer you a refund of the points but that isn't the sole resolution and not one you will be forced to accept in most cases. LY will most likely route via JFK or EWR flights since that is their largest capacity route and then connect to BOS most likely on B6. Depending on any delay, cause and the applicable laws you may be due compensation or a good will gesture from LY but if they do reroute and you end up getting there about the same time I'd honestly drop it and move on as dealing with LY is just another headache. If things do go sideways then sure complain away.

This is the law. You want to read this instead, much clearer (scroll down for English).

Shuly

Never saw that document before - it says that if the flight was brought forward, you can also be entitled to compensation?

Thanks shuly, that link is indeed written more clearly. I guess I'm a bit concerned about these loopholes exempting El Al from compensating customers for cancelled flights:
"(f) The cancellation was caused due to extraordinary circumstances that were not within our control, and which could not have been avoided even if all reasonable measures were taken; or,
(g) The flight has been cancelled due to a strike or a protected work-by-rule strike"

Do you know if El Al has been compensating passengers whose flights were among the recent spate of cancellations?

Also, do you know how long before the scheduled departure time El Al has been notifying customers about the cancellations?

thanks :)

Even if there is compensation due for what appears to be a "protected work-by-rule" action, the delay trigger is 8 hours. I would hope that a reroute via EWR or JFK would not cause such a delay.

On the other hand, I am not sure why it is the Boston, rather than the others, or perhaps all, which would be cancelled or delayed.

TLV-BOS appears to be the most frequently cancelled flight:
https://en.globes.co.il/en/article-e...ply-1001241475