United Airlines and Delta Air Lines have temporarily halted flights to Israel in response to escalating tensions in the region. United Airlines announced the suspension of its flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) starting Wednesday evening. This decision follows the airline’s brief suspension of services in October due to the outbreak of conflict between Israel and Hamas. United resumed flights in the spring but has now paused operations again due to security concerns.
Flight Suspensions Amid Regional Instability
In a statement to Travel + Leisure, United Airlines said, “We have suspended for security reasons our daily Tel Aviv service as we evaluate our next steps. We continue to closely monitor the situation and will make decisions on resuming service with a focus on the safety of our customers and crews.” The airline has not provided a timeline for when flights might resume.
Delta Air Lines Also Suspends Flights
Delta Air Lines has also suspended flights between New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) and Tel Aviv through August 2. Delta issued a travel waiver for customers who booked travel to or from Tel Aviv before August 14. The airline had previously resumed flights to Israel in June. Delta stated, “Delta is continuously monitoring the evolving security environment and assessing our operations based on security guidance and intelligence reports and will communicate any updates as needed.” Passengers can still book seats on Delta’s partner airlines, Air France and EL AL Israel Airlines, through Delta’s website and reservations.
Context of the Flight Suspensions
These flight suspensions occur amid heightened regional instability following the assassination of Hamas’ top political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Iran, a situation for which no immediate group has claimed responsibility, according to The Associated Press.
Conclusion
Additionally, Reuters reported that several airlines have temporarily suspended flights to Beirut in Lebanon following a deadly rocket attack on the Israeli-controlled Golan Heights. As tensions continue to rise, airlines are reassessing their operations to ensure passenger and crew safety.