Lufthansa Group is to resume flights to Israel on January 8, the carrier says. The German carrier, like almost all foreign airlines, suspended flights to Tel Aviv following the start of the Israel-Hamas war on October 7, due to security concerns.
Only Israeli carriers El Al, Arkia and Israir have been flying to Ben Gurion Airport since October as well as a small handful of foreign airlines including Ethiopian Airlines to Addis Ababa, Etihad Airways to Abu Dhabi, flyDubai to Dubai, Uzbekistan Airways to Tashkent, and Azimuth Airline and Red Wings to Russia.
But Lufthansa's decision to recommence flights is a significant development for Israel aviation and the tourist industry as the German carrier is the world's fourth largest airline and second biggest carrier in Europe and includes Austrian and Swiss Airlines.
Lufthansa says that initially it will offer four weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Frankfurt and three weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Munich. Austria Airlines will offer eight weekly flights between Tel Aviv and Vienna and Swiss Airlines will offer five weekly flights between Tel; Aviv and Zurich. This is only 30% of the number of flights to Israel offered by the Lufthansa Group before the war.
Earlier this month Ryanair announced that it had cancelled all Israel flights for January and Virgin Atlantic has announced that it will not renew flights between Tel Aviv and London until March 17. But Air Europa will recommence flights between Tel Aviv and Madrid from January 9.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on December 17, 2023.
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