EasyJet Suspends Flights to Tel Aviv Until April 2025 Amid Ongoing Aviation Chaos

Low-cost airline EasyJet has announced that it will not renew its flights to Tel Aviv until April 2025. Customers who have booked tickets on this route between October 27, 2024, and March 29, 2025, will be offered options including full refunds for their purchased tickets.

The chaos in the aviation industry persisted yesterday, with thousands of Israelis stranded abroad struggling to find flights to Israel following a wave of cancellations by foreign airlines. German airline Lufthansa has extended the suspension of its flights to Ben Gurion Airport, as well as airports in Tehran and Beirut, until August 12 due to heightened alert levels for a simultaneous attack on Israel by Iran and its proxy organizations in the Middle East. This move also affects its subsidiary, Austrian Airlines.

Wizz Air Extends Suspension

Wizz Air announced it will extend the suspension of its flights to Israel until today, with further extensions possible until at least Friday.

The aviation industry estimates that around 25 foreign airlines have halted their operations in Israel since the beginning of the current crisis. This exacerbates the already dire situation for Israeli aviation since the outbreak of war on October 7. Out of approximately 120 foreign airlines that operated in Israel last summer, only about 50 have continued to maintain flight routes to Israel, many with reduced frequency. Recent cancellations have further reduced this number to only 25-30.

Rising Ticket Prices and Public Criticism

As flight availability to and from Israel decreases, ticket prices have surged, leading to severe public criticism of Israeli airlines. These airlines, which continue to operate normally, have been accused of exploiting the security crisis to hike prices and increase profits.

Calls for Alternative Routes

Israel's aviation authorities have advised Israelis stranded abroad to purchase tickets to airports in Athens and Larnaca. Israeli airlines El Al, Israir, and Arkia will increase flights to these destinations in the coming week to facilitate the return of Israelis. El Al has set uniform flight prices of $228 one-way to Larnaca and $283 one-way to Athens.

Government Response

Transportation Minister Miri Regev held a press conference in the National Security Agency's crisis management room, alongside the CEOs of Israeli airlines and Civil Aviation Authority Director Shmuel Zakai. She emphasized that her office would not interfere in the airlines' commercial decisions or flight rates but urged them to avoid price gouging, particularly on flights from Israel to Larnaca and Athens. Regev clarified that the state would not subsidize rescue flights for Israelis, as travelers must account for potential delays and increased costs.

Allegations of Price Gouging

Arkia CEO Oz Berlovich addressed allegations of excessive pricing, suggesting that middlemen and travel agents were responsible for inflating ticket costs. He recommended customers check prices directly on airline websites. Consumer bodies have called on the Competition Authority and the Ministry of Economy to investigate whether Israeli airlines are exploiting their market position to raise prices amid the ongoing crisis.

Calls for Regulatory Intervention

Shlomo Isaac, President of the Chamber of Insurance Agents, has appealed to Knesset Economy Committee Chairman MK David Bitan to hold an urgent discussion on the aviation industry's chaos. Isaac argued for immediate intervention to set reasonable flight prices from various international destinations to Israel. The Competition Authority has been investigating claims that El Al took advantage of the security situation to raise prices for several months, though the investigation is still ongoing.