British Airways suspends all Israel flights until August amid renewed security fears
No flights to or from Tel Aviv until 1 August as BA cites safety risks after Ben Gurion missile strike
British Airways has suspended all flights to Israel until at least the end of July, with no services available to book on its website until 1 August.
A spokesperson for the UK’s flag carrier confirmed the decision on Friday, citing “security concerns” amid ongoing regional instability. It follows a missile strike earlier this month by Iranian-backed Houthi forces, which reportedly hit the area around Ben Gurion Airport, injuring several people and prompting widespread travel disruption.
BA is allowing affected customers to rebook on El Al-operated services or connecting flights via approved European hubs.
“We continually monitor operating conditions and have made the decision to suspend our flights to and from Tel Aviv, up to and including 31 July,” the airline said in a statement. “The safety and security of our customers and crew is always our priority. We’ve apologised to our customers for the inconvenience.”
The decision comes as Israel continues a renewed military operation in Gaza, launched after a March ceasefire collapsed. The ongoing conflict began following Hamas’s 7 October massacre, in which terrorists killed 1,200 people and abducted around 250 others into Gaza.
British Airways is among a growing list of international airlines to halt or postpone services to Israel since hostilities escalated last year. Virgin Atlantic had initially planned to resume its Tel Aviv route this autumn but dropped the plan in April. Lufthansa, Air France, and EasyJet have all similarly suspended or delayed services.
However, Israel’s national carrier El Al, along with Israir and Wizz Air, continues to operate regular flights between Tel Aviv and the UK. US airline Delta also resumed operations earlier this month after a months-long suspension.
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