Israeli airlines El Al, Arkia, and Israir have received official approval to begin operating repatriation flights starting Wednesday, aiming to bring back over 100,000 Israelis stranded abroad.
The Transportation Ministry and aviation authorities granted the green light for these flights, with El Al scheduled to operate routes from Larnaca (Cyprus), Athens (Greece), Rome and Milan (Italy), and Paris (France).
Passengers eligible for these emergency flights include those holding valid El Al or Sun Dor tickets to Israel whose flights were canceled following the closure of Israel’s airspace early Friday. Notifications were sent to assigned passengers on Tuesday. Priority for seating will be given based on the original flight cancellation date and urgent humanitarian medical cases, according to El Al.
The airline opened registration on Monday for stranded travelers to coordinate repatriation efforts. El Al confirmed that all crews and aircraft are on standby, ready to operate flights at maximum capacity once government approvals are finalized. They advised passengers to arrange accommodations as needed and keep receipts, noting that reimbursement eligibility will be reviewed according to legal guidelines.
Israel’s airspace has been closed for both arrivals and departures since the Israel Defense Forces launched a surprise attack on Iran early Friday. This closure left thousands of Israelis abroad stranded, with limited options to return home, and similarly restricted those wishing to leave Israel.
Smaller carriers Arkia and Israir have yet to announce ticket prices or full flight schedules. Arkia will begin Wednesday with flights from nearby destinations Larnaca, Karpathos (Greece), and Tivat (Montenegro), focusing initially on organized tour groups already booked through the airline. All Wednesday flights are fully booked, with passengers pre-assigned. Arkia is also working on future flights from Paris and New York and emphasized readiness to operate flights at any time approved by security officials, including Shabbat. All flights remain subject to Civil Aviation Authority and security approvals.
Israir is preparing three repatriation flights on Wednesday from Larnaca, Athens, and Varna (Bulgaria) following local authority clearance.
Under the government’s repatriation plan, no more than two flights per hour will be allowed, mostly during daylight hours due to ongoing nighttime missile attacks on Israel by Iran. Civil Aviation Authority head Shmuel Zakai estimated that it could take weeks to bring all stranded Israelis home.
To avoid terminal overcrowding and reduce risk, planes departing Ben Gurion Airport to repatriate Israelis will not carry any passengers.
Meanwhile, Israel’s Tourism Ministry launched a digital registration system to assist the approximately 38,000 tourists currently stranded in the country. This system allows tourists to sign up for coordinated departure flights once they become available. The ministry is distributing the registration form widely among tourism operators, hotels, and guides and will share the compiled list with the National Security Council and Transportation Ministry as needed to facilitate flight coordination.
