Airlines Extend Flight Suspensions to Israel amid Yemen’s Ongoing Blockade

Air France said on Tuesday that it would delay the resumption of flights to Israel until at least May 24, following months of disruption and a recent reassessment of security conditions.

The airline had initially aimed to restart service this week but opted for the extension after last-minute reviews.

The Lufthansa Group — including Lufthansa, SWISS, Austrian Airlines, Brussels Airlines, and Eurowings — has also prolonged its suspension of flights to Israel, now set to last until at least June 8.

The group had previously planned to resume service on May 26.
Passengers affected by the decision are being offered free cancellations or rebookings.

British carrier EasyJet, which comprises EasyJet UK, EasyJet Switzerland, and EasyJet Europe, has postponed its return until at least June 30.
EasyJet has not operated flights to Israel since October 2023, when the current conflict escalated.

Other European carriers have similarly extended or canceled services.

Greece’s Aegean Airlines canceled its planned return at the last moment and has not announced a new date.

Ethiopian Airlines canceled a flight between Addis Ababa and Tel Aviv, including the return leg.

Air Canada, which had intended to restart flights in June, has since stated it will not return to the market for the foreseeable future.

Yemen’s Armed Forces declared an aerial blockade on May 4.

The resistance group has launched multiple attacks on Israel’s Ben Gurion Airport using hypersonic ballistic missiles, as part of pro-Palestinian military operations.

These strikes followed an earlier naval blockade on Israeli vessels and ships bound for Israel.

Yemeni forces have pledged to continue their operations until Israel ends its military campaign in Gaza, which has killed at least 53,573 Palestinians, primarily women and children.

They also demand an end to Israel’s blockade on the Gaza Strip, which has intensified in recent months.