AirBaltic has announced that all flights to and from Tel Aviv Airport will remain suspended until March of this year. Initially set to expire on January 1, the decision to extend the suspension is based on the uncertainty related to the current situation in Israel.
The safety and security of passengers, employees, and flights is the main priority of AirBaltic, the company emphasized. They confirmed that they are in touch with both national and international authorities and are ready to change their flight schedule if needed.
Passengers affected by the suspension are invited to verify their bookings on the airline’s website for a refund or to contact the support center for other possible changes.
This measure was put in place last year following a Hamas attack in Israel. AirBaltic had initially announced the suspension of all flights to and from Tel Aviv until January 1, 2024, for the same reasons. However, in response to a request from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Latvia, the airline operated a special flight with 148 seats from Riga to Tel Aviv and back in October last year.
In addition to AirBaltic’s continued suspension, several European airlines have decided to restart flights to Israel in January and February. These airlines include Air France, Bluebird Airways, Bulgaria Air, TUS, Transavia, LOT, Vueling, and Air Europa, with plans to resume specific flights or partial service during this period.
However, these airlines have warned that they may suspend flights to Israel again if the security situation worsens. Following the Hamas attack on Israel in October last year, several international airlines reduced or postponed their flights to the country, resulting in a 41.25 percent decrease in passenger arrivals at Ben-Gurion Airport compared to the same month in 2022. The airport welcomed 1,172,435 international passengers and 9,078 international flights, which is 28.9 percent less than in October 2022.
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