KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Wizz Air, and SAS Scandinavian Airlines are set to restore passenger services to Tel Aviv Ben Gurion Airport as the security situation in the Middle East shows signs of improvement.
Wizz Air resumed flights from multiple European cities to Tel Aviv on May 15, returning less than two weeks after a missile strike near the airport. KLM will resume operations from Amsterdam Schiphol on May 31, ending an 11-month suspension. SAS is also returning to the Israeli market after a nine-year absence, with direct service from Copenhagen Kastrup starting October 26.
However, not all carriers are following suit. United Airlines has extended its suspension of Tel Aviv flights until at least mid-June. According to The Times of Israel, a group of 20 unnamed foreign airlines has indicated that their return is conditional on changes to Israel’s compensation rules for canceled flights.
Meanwhile, several airlines are also resuming operations to Beirut. Wizz Air Abu Dhabi will launch direct flights to the Lebanese capital on June 4. SAS follows with service from Copenhagen on June 6, and LOT Polish Airlines will resume Warsaw-Beirut flights on July 1.
Airlines have suspended routes to Tel Aviv and Beirut multiple times over the past 18 months due to regional instability. The conflict that began on October 7, 2023, between Hamas and Israeli forces escalated into a broader regional crisis, leading to widespread flight disruptions that continue to affect airline operations.
