The attacks launched from Gaza last Saturday caught airlines by surprise, forcing many flights to be diverted.
For example, United Flight UA954 from San Francisco to Tel Aviv spent 14 hours circling “to nowhere” over the weekend. The flight then returned to the US midway through its 7,500-mile journey after the first news of the missile attacks came in on Saturday morning.
"The safety of our customers and employees is our top priority," a United spokesperson told US media on Monday, after the airline's flights to Israel were suspended.
“We operated two scheduled flights from Tel Aviv late Saturday and early Sunday to accommodate customers, crew and employees who were present at the airport.”
Cathay, Lufthansa and Air France are among the airlines that have suspended or reduced flights to Ben Gurion International Airport in Israel. Others are offering limited service and last-minute tickets are scarce.
Israel's civil aviation authority is advising travelers to expect flight delays, according to AP.
Passengers at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Alvin
“Foreign airlines are reducing and even canceling flight schedules to Israel,” the statement said on Sunday, adding that Israeli airlines have been allowed to increase capacity “to certain destinations.”
The Israeli government said it would update its website twice a day with details of high-capacity domestic flights, warning that "schedules during this period may change and may even be significantly reduced at short notice".
The EU and US civil aviation authorities have advised airlines to exercise caution in Israeli airspace, but have not banned commercial flights to Israel.
Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency has imposed a curfew on night flights until at least October 16, "due to the unstable military and political situation in Israel." Two Russian airlines, Red Wings and Azimut, still operate flights to Israel.
Connections to Asia and the Pacific have also been limited as Hong Kong-based airlines have suspended operations. Hong Kong’s main carrier, Cathay Pacific, told the AP that “due to the latest situation in Israel,” it had canceled flights to Tel Aviv scheduled for Tuesday and Thursday.
Separately, after suspending flights from the UAE, Etihad and Flydubai grounded flights to Israel amid the escalating conflict on Monday. UAE airline Emirates said it would continue to fly three scheduled routes between Tel Aviv and Dubai, while monitoring developments in Israeli airspace.
"The situation is dynamic and we are carefully reviewing all factors on an hourly basis. The safety of our passengers, employees and operations will always be our top priority," a spokesperson for the airline said.
United Flight UA954 circled in the sky for 14 hours
Tourism in the region is starting to take a hit. The Hamas-Israel conflict has dealt a major blow to India’s tourism industry. Flights from India to Tel Aviv are currently suspended, meaning no trips will take place. This is worrying for India as it is the peak season for Israeli tourists.
Air India has canceled flights to and from Tel Aviv until October 14. The airline operates five weekly flights to Tel Aviv from New Delhi and is the only airline operating flights to Israel.
Is it safe to travel to Israel?
The UK's Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel guidance for the affected area, advising against travel to Israel...
This means that tour companies with guests in the area must bring them back as quickly as possible and suspend all future trips until further advice.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also advised travellers to avoid all non-essential travel to Israel as "ongoing attacks pose a significant security risk".
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