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New Delhi: Major Airlines have announced the suspension of their flights to Tel Aviv until August 2 and 6, respectively.
This decision, influenced by the anticipated escalation of attacks on Israel, arises amidst increasing regional tensions involving Hezbollah and Iran. These suspensions have left tens of thousands of Israelis stranded in the United States. Such disruptions by the world’s second and third-largest airlines may prompt additional cancellations by other carriers.
Following suit, German airline Lufthansa suspended two overnight flights from Frankfurt and Munich to Israel earlier this week. The Lufthansa Group, encompassing SWISS, Austrian, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings, has also joined the suspension. British Airways and Flydubai are among the airlines that have ceased flights to Israel.
Air India also announced the cancellation of flights to Tel Aviv up to 8th August.
“In view of the ongoing situation in parts of the Middle East, we have suspended the scheduled operation of our flights to and from Tel Aviv with immediate effect up to and including 08 August 2024. We are continuously monitoring the situation and are extending support to our passengers with confirmed bookings for travel to and from Tel Aviv during this period, with a one-time waiver on rescheduling and cancellation charges. The safety of our guests and crew remains our foremost priority”, an announcement by Air India.
The travel industry in Israel has suffered significantly, with a reported 76% decrease in travel during the first half of 2024 by the Israeli statistics agency.
The Israel Hotel Association has underscored the severe financial strain on the tourism and hospitality sectors, with approximately 10% of hotels facing the threat of financial collapse due to the war on Gaza’s impact on occupancy rates.
While hotels in areas like the Red Sea and Eilat have maintained high occupancy by accommodating displaced Israelis, those near the northern border remain closed.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has heavily impacted Israeli businesses, with projections of around 60,000 companies closing in 2024, adding to the 46,000 that shut down in the prior nine months. Factors such as high interest rates, increased financing costs, labour shortages, reduced revenues, logistical challenges, and inadequate government support have worsened the economic climate.
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