"My children are waiting at home," Thousands of Israelis stranded as Airlines halt flights

On Sunday, May 4, 2025, a ballistic missile from Yemen struck near Terminal 3 at Ben Gurion Airport, prompting widespread flight cancellations that left thousands of Israelis stranded worldwide. Dramatic footage of the incident spread rapidly on social media, triggering an immediate reaction from international airlines, many of which suspended flights to Israel for hours or days, citing security concerns. The abrupt cancellations have disrupted travel plans, leaving travelers like Ivana and Elad grappling with uncertainty, soaring costs, and frustration as they struggle to return home to waiting families.

Ivana, an Israeli visiting friends in Germany, received an email from Lufthansa just 30 minutes after the missile strike, informing her that her flight home was canceled. The airline provided a hotel stay for one night and a shuttle to the airport for a rescheduled flight the next day, but Ivana remains skeptical: “Who guarantees there’ll be a flight tomorrow? I’m stuck in Germany, with my husband and kids waiting at home.” She secured an alternative flight from Zurich to Israel in three days but noted that no one is covering her additional expenses for accommodation or other costs. Her frustration is compounded by the hasty cancellations: “Everyone’s so quick to cancel. They should wait to see how things unfold!”

Similarly, Elad, an Israeli tourist in Turin, Italy, was notified of his flight’s cancellation just 40 minutes before its scheduled departure. “What was supposed to be a $75 flight turned into an expensive nightmare,” he said, as he traveled by train to Milan in hopes of finding another flight to Israel. The financial burden of extended stays abroad, coupled with the emotional toll of being separated from loved ones, has intensified the distress among stranded Israelis.

In response to the escalating crisis, Israel’s Transportation Minister, Miri Regev, directed Shmuel Zakai, head of the Civil Aviation Authority, to engage with foreign airlines to prevent further suspensions of flights to Israel. The government is working to mitigate the disruptions, but with many airlines adopting a cautious approach, the path to restoring normal air travel remains uncertain, leaving countless Israelis in limbo.