After initially targeting a return to Israel in June, easyJet’s plans were repeatedly derailed by escalating regional tensions. The airline first postponed its resumption of service to late July following a Houthi missile that landed on May 4 near the airport outside of Tel Aviv. Hopes to restart service this summer were dashed when “Operation Rising Lion,” the 12-day conflict with Iran, erupted on June 13, prompting easyJet to delay flights until the end of October.
According to the business daily Globes, the decision to postpone flights to Tel Aviv throughout the winter season marks the longest period of suspended service by a foreign airline since the start of the Iran war.
Affected passengers can choose to receive a full refund or rebook another flight at no additional cost.
Currently, the three main Israeli airlines—El Al, Arkia and Israir—offer exclusive service to high-demand destinations that easyJet had planned to operate flights to, including London (Luton), Amsterdam, Berlin, Basel, Geneva and Milan, according to the report.
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines has also extended its suspension of flights to and from Tel Aviv as of Monday. It had briefly resumed service earlier this year but halted operations due to what it said was an “ongoing security situation.”
Affected travelers are being offered limited rebooking options, with some flexibility to change routes through cities like Athens or Larnaca, though ground transportation must be arranged independently. KLM is also allowing eligible passengers to request refunds or opt for travel vouchers, as the suspension remains in place indefinitely.
EasyJet and KLM’s moves come as more European airlines resume flights to Israel, following last month’s war with Iran.
Madrid-based Air Europa, Greece’s Aegean Airlines and Poland’s Lot renewed service to Tel Aviv on Monday, joining Air France, which took the lead in Europe in restarting service last week.
With transatlantic airfares high and flights sparse, Greece has emerged as the top destination for Israeli travelers, as well as a popular transit point for travel to and from the United States.
Among other European carriers, Lufthansa is due to renew service next month, while British Airways has pushed back flights to Israel until the end of October.
The European Aviation Agency last week lifted all flight restrictions on Israel.
The Emirate’s Fly Dubai was the first foreign carrier to renew service to Israel after the 12-day war, and operates a whopping ten flights a day to Tel Aviv, more than any other international airline.
Nearly 60,000 passengers were traveling through Ben-Gurion International Airport on Monday on 370 international flights, similar to the number of travelers the day before the war with Iran, according to the Israel Airports Authority.
Meanwhile, United Airlines will resume service from its Newark hub to Tel Aviv next week, bringing down airfares on the lucrative transatlantic route during the summer travel season.
Delta Air Lines is due to restart service only in September, while American Airlines has stayed away from Israel entirely during the nearly two-year-long war.
