Hungarian low-cost airline giant Wizz Air, Greek carrier Bluebird Airways and Czech airline Smartwings announced on Friday that they plan to gradually resume operations to and from Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport this month, while major European and US carriers continue to suspend flight services to the country.
Israeli-owned Greek airline Bluebird Airways said it plans to resume a limited flight schedule on the Tel Aviv-Athens route starting Sunday, April 12. Bluebird will become the first European carrier to restart services after the country’s airspace was fully reopened this week, following the ceasefire agreement announced overnight Tuesday that halted the joint US-Israel military campaign against Iran.
Starting Sunday, Bluebird will operate one daily flight, and later in the week, frequency is expected to increase to two daily flights, alongside other destinations, which have not yet been announced.
Similarly, Etihad Airways was offering seats for sale on limited operations on the Abu Dhabi-Tel Aviv route starting April 15, with two daily flights for now. However, no official announcement has been made.
Wizz Air said it reopened ticket sales for flights to and from Tel Aviv, starting April 25. Initial destinations include Budapest, with additional gateways expected to be added gradually, in line with international safety guidelines, the airline said. Previously, Wizz Air had repeatedly suspended flights to and from Israel through April 27, amid the war with Iran, which broke out on February 28.
Czech airline Smartwings will restart regular flights to Tel Aviv from April 15, the airline said on Friday.
Smartwings said it will operate seven flights per week to Tel Aviv while observing the security situation in Israel and following guidance from authorities. Turkey’s Pegasus Airlines agreed to buy Smartwings in December last year.
During the war with Iran, Israel’s airspace was shut to most commercial traffic, including foreign airlines. Despite the announcement of the full reopening of Ben Gurion Airport overnight Wednesday, other major European and US carriers are not seen rushing back to resume takeoffs and landings as they await the outcome of the two-week truce with Iran.
Most European airlines have continued to suspend all flight services to and from Israel through April and into May and July, while US carriers have pushed back their return to as far as September, leaving Israeli travelers on many major routes yet again largely dependent on local carriers El Al, Israir, and Arkia.
That’s as the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Thursday decided to extend an advisory cautioning airlines to avoid most Middle East and Gulf airspace, including Israel, through April 24, citing regional hostilities and risks to civil aviation.
British Airways recently extended the suspension of flights to and from Israel through June 30, 2026. The Lufthansa group – whose carriers also include SWISS, Austrian Airlines, and Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings – has paused flight services to and from Tel Aviv through May 31.
US carrier United Airlines extended the suspension of nonstop flights from New York to Ben Gurion Airport through at least September 7, and rival Delta has canceled services on the route to Tel Aviv through September 5. Air Canada has nixed flight services to and from Tel Aviv through September 8.
Reuters contributed to this report
