Israeli airlines reported a return to normal operations on Sunday following an overnight disruption caused by Iranian missile and drone attacks.
The airspace was reopened at 7:30 a.m. (0430 GMT), with flights from Tel Aviv expected to experience schedule changes. Before heading to Ben Gurion International Airport, travellers were advised to verify their flight times.
El Al, the flag carrier, resumed operations and aimed to stabilize its flight schedule promptly. The airline emphasized its commitment to maintaining the air bridge to and from Israel despite having to cancel 15 flights to various destinations and reroute flights returning from Bangkok and Phuket.
Arkia, another Israeli airline, was adjusting its flight schedule after initially delaying flights to Athens, Milan, and Geneva. Most foreign carriers also experienced delays, including affected flights by Wizz Air to London, Air India to New Delhi, Iberia to Madrid, and Air France to Marseille.
Some flights managed to depart, including El Al’s flights to major European cities and Ethiopian Airlines’ flight to Addis Ababa. This resumption followed Iran’s first direct attack on Israeli territory using drones and missiles.
Regional responses varied, with Etihad Airways from Abu Dhabi cancelling flights to Jordan and Israel and Swiss International Air Lines suspending indefinitely flights to and from Tel Aviv. Swiss, a Lufthansa subsidiary, also avoided the airspaces of Iran, Iraq, and Israel, affecting flights from India and Singapore.
Meanwhile, after a brief closure, Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon reopened their airspaces on Sunday. United Airlines had cancelled its Saturday flight from Newark to Tel Aviv due to airspace restrictions. Still, they remained the only major U.S. airline to have resumed flights to Israel since the October attacks by Hamas.
