Political conflict and war have serious repercussions in several areas, from trade, to migration, aviation, and more. In recent years, we have seen firsthand what these conflicts can do to the aviation industry, starting with the Russia-Ukraine fight. After Russia invaded Ukraine, Russian-registered aircraft were sanctioned and forbidden in most of the world, and some airlines even had aircraft repossessed. Today, several routes are longer than before, as aircraft route around Russian airspace.
Last October, conflict broke out between Palestine and Israel, which led to several airlines pulling flights from Israel, including all three major United States carriers. For several months, airlines have followed the conflict closely and analyzed possible return dates, considering the safety of its passengers and crews. As of today, all three major US carriers have announced their return to Tel Aviv.
United Airlines
United Airlines was the second to announce its return to Tel Aviv but the first to begin operations, which is unsurprising given how ambitious the airline has been coming out of the pandemic. The Chicago-based airline has grown to be the largest carrier from the US across the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and is rapidly expanding its network to unique destinations. In late February, United announced its return to Tel Aviv, with flights beginning on March 2.
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United Airlines To Become The First US Carrier To Resume Tel Aviv Flights
The service was originally suspended in October 2023.
The first two services were on March 2 and 4, with stops at Munich International Airport (MUC) to ensure that safe, daily operations could be resumed. Daily flights were scheduled to begin on March 6 from Newark Liberty International Airport to Ben Gurion Airport (TLV) in Tel Aviv on the Boeing 787-10, the largest variant of the 787 Dreamliner family.
Delta Air Lines
Earlier today, Delta Air Lines became the last of the ‘Big Three’ carriers to announce its return, but will be the second American airline to relaunch flights. From June 7, Delta will resume daily flights from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) serving New York City to TLV. The Airbus A330neo (A330-900) will be deployed on the route, with 281 seats in a four-cabin configuration.
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Delta Air Lines Delays Tel Aviv Return After Extensive Security Assessment
The airline will resume flights from New York to Tel Aviv, using an Airbus A330-900 daily.
Previously, Delta served Tel Aviv from three hubs, including Boston and Atlanta. For now, the carrier has not announced a return other than from JFK.
“The decision to resume the route on June 7, 2024, which was temporarily suspended in October 2023, follows an extensive security risk assessment by the airline. Delta continues to closely monitor the situation in Israel in conjunction with government and private-sector partners.” – Delta Air Lines
American Airlines
American Airlines was the first to announce its return but will be the last to resume services. Last month, Simple Flying reported that though schedules had shown American would return to Tel Aviv in May, flights were pushed to October. At the time, reports suggested that one of the reasons for pushing back the return was a shortage of widebody aircraft. American Airlines did not confirm this to Simple Flying but reiterated that the safety of its crew and passengers were a priority.
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American Airlines Pushes Tel Aviv Return To Late October
The carrier was previously planning to resume the flights in May.
