Last Sunday, (May 4), Ben Gurion was expecting around 66,200 passengers on 422 international flights, including roughly 34,700 outbound and 31,500 inbound travelers.
Today (Sunday), Ben Gurion Airport is expected to handle around 48,900 passengers on 314 international flights: a 26% drop in passengers and 34% fewer flights compared to the previous Sunday, before the incident. Approximately 26,200 passengers will depart Israel on international flights, while 22,700 will arrive, most on Israeli carriers.
This is thanks to a Houthi missile which struck very near Ben Gurion Airport, causing most foreign airlines to cancel flights to and from Israel. Although the airport resumed operations within roughly 30 minutes of the strike, foreign airlines continue to extend their suspensions of service to Israel, without committing to clear return dates. Several airlines have issued statements suggesting service will resume soon, but most have repeatedly postponed their return.
Who’s still out?
- British Airways: No return before mid-June.
- Virgin Atlantic: Permanently canceled its Tel Aviv route.
- LOT Polish Airlines: Extended suspension through May 18.
- Wizz Air (Hungary): No flights to Israel until at least May 14.
- Lufthansa Group: Widely seen as a bellwether, it has extended its suspension to May 18.
- Aegean Airlines (Greece): No flights until May 16.
- Ryanair (Ireland): Suspended through May 21.
- Delta and United Airlines (U.S.): Recently resumed flights, but have now suspended again until at least May 19.
- Iberia Express (Spain): Set to resume on June 1.
- Air France: Suspended through May 13.
- Transavia (France): Also suspended until May 13.
- Air Baltic: No return before May 18.
- EasyJet (UK): Had planned to resume in June, but that now remains uncertain.
- Air India: Suspended through May 25.
- ITA Airways (Italy): Flights frozen until May 19.
Walla contributed to this article.
