Air France Delays Return to Israel Again - Now Until May 11
European airlines remain extremely cautious about returning to Israeli skies. While Israeli airports are operating normally and Israeli carriers continue full schedules, most major European carriers are still holding off until the security picture improves and official European guidance changes.
Air France has once again postponed the resumption of its flights to Israel, pushing the restart date to May 11, 2026.
The French national carrier originally planned to resume service to Tel Aviv much earlier, but has repeatedly delayed its return due to ongoing security concerns and the volatile situation in the region following the Iran conflict.
According to Israeli aviation journalist Itamar Fisher, Air France informed partners of the latest postponement today.
European Union Decision Expected Tomorrow
The delay comes just one day before the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) is scheduled to review and potentially lift its current recommendation advising airlines against flying to Israel.
Many major European carriers (including Air France-KLM, Lufthansa Group, and others) have been waiting for EASA’s decision before fully resuming regular scheduled flights to Ben Gurion Airport.
If EASA cancels or relaxes the advisory tomorrow, more European airlines are expected to accelerate their return to Israel in the coming weeks.
Air France’s latest delay reflects the broader hesitation still present in European aviation regarding Israel.