BA and Wizz Air extend Tel Aviv flight suspension as Israel routes remain disrupted

British Airways has extended its suspension of flights to Tel Aviv until at least 31 May, as ongoing instability across the Middle East continues to disrupt international travel.

The UK’s flag carrier confirmed it is also pausing routes to Amman, Bahrain and Dubai through the same date, while flights to Doha in Qatar remain cancelled until 30 April.

In a statement, the airline said: “Due to the continuing uncertainty of the situation in the Middle East and airspace instability, and to provide more clarity to our customers, we’ve extended the temporary reduction in our flying schedule in the region.

“We’re keeping the situation under constant review and are directly in touch with affected customers to offer them a range of options.

The move comes as a growing number of international airlines delay their return to Israel, with low-cost carrier Wizz Air confirming it will not resume flights to and from Tel Aviv until at least 7 April, pushing back earlier plans to restart before Passover.

The Hungarian airline had been preparing to establish a new operational hub in Israel before the escalation, a move that had been expected to increase competition and help lower fares.

Other major carriers have also withdrawn services. EasyJet has said it will not return to Ben Gurion Airport until the autumn, while the Lufthansa Group and US airlines, including Delta and United, have cancelled routes to Tel Aviv for the coming weeks, with no confirmed restart date.

The widespread disruption follows the escalation of conflict involving Iran, which has forced the closure or restriction of key airspace routes across the region and left Israel’s main gateway operating at limited capacity.

Ben Gurion Airport has been largely closed to foreign airlines since late February, with only Israeli carriers – including El Al, Arkia, Israir and Air Haifa – operating reduced schedules, primarily to repatriate stranded passengers. El Al has said it is currently running around a fifth of its usual flight schedule.

While some outbound travel has resumed in recent days, flights remain restricted and subject to passenger limits, with capacity only gradually increasing.

The continued suspension of routes is expected to impact thousands of British travellers, including many in the UK Jewish community planning trips to Israel around Passover, as uncertainty over flight availability continues.