European airlines extend flight suspensions to Israel amid escalating fights

Jerusalem: The Lufthansa Group announced on Tuesday the postponement of its flights’ return to Israel until at least October 31 due to the security situation in the Middle East.

The cancellations include flights from Lufthansa Airline, which operates routes from Munich and Frankfurt to Tel Aviv, as well as those from Austrian Airlines, Swiss, and Brussels Airlines.

The group’s statement emphasized that the safety of its passengers and crew “is always a top priority,” adding that it continues to monitor the situation closely, Xinhua news agency reported.

The statement also noted that flights to the Lebanese capital Beirut have been postponed until Nov. 30, and flights to the Iranian capital Tehran will remain suspended until Oct. 14, except for the flights of Lufthansa Airline, which have been halted until October 26.

On Sunday, Italy’s flagship airline, ITA, announced the postponement of flights to Tel Aviv until at least Oct. 31.

Both the Lufthansa Group and the ITA have aligned with the recommendation issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) on Friday, which advised against operating within the airspaces of Lebanon and Israel at all flight levels until Oct. 31.

Also on Tuesday, the British carrier Virgin Atlantic, which suspended its flights to Israel a year ago since the outbreak of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, announced the postponement of its return to Tel Aviv until March 30, 2025.

The airline said in a statement that the latest postponement was decided “following our continuous security and safety assessment and after careful consideration.”

IANS